PRIME MINISTER

Engagements

Anthony Steen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will visit the UK Human Trafficking Centre in Sheffield to discuss trends in human trafficking into the UK from other EU member states.

Gordon Brown: The Government deplore all forms of human trafficking. The UK has led the way on human trafficking: the EU plan on preventing and combating trafficking in persons was adopted during the UK presidency in 2005; and, the UK and Poland are leading a project with a number of EU partners to undertake more practical co-operation on human trafficking.
	The UK's action plan "Tacking Human Trafficking", published in March 2007, sets out the Government's strategy. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Domestic Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he visited  (a) Scotland,  (b) Wales and  (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Gordon Brown: A list of my UK visits will be published in the usual way following the end of the financial year.

Speeches

Greg Clark: To ask the Prime Minister who his Office has employed as a speechwriter since he took up office as Prime Minister.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 29 October 2007,  Official Report, column 625W.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Community Assets Programme

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made on the community assets programme; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The £30 million Community Assets programme is making excellent progress. Last month it announced 37 in-principle awards to refurbish assets that will be transferred to third sector ownership. The projects are imaginative and varied: from inner-city spaces offering alternative education for young people to cutting edge theatre and art, and health and keep fit services.

Charities and Community Groups

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to reduce the burden of administration on charities and community groups.

Phil Hope: The Government are tackling administrative burdens affecting the third sector in a number of ways. For example the Charities Act 2006 includes a range of de-regulatory measures that particularly help the smallest charities, and the Charity Commission has introduced a simplified annual return form which is already benefiting 65,000 charities.

Social Enterprise

Dawn Butler: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to promote social enterprise amongst young people.

Edward Miliband: The Government are committed to promoting social enterprise among young people as part of the 2006 Social Enterprise Action Plan and the 2007 Third Sector Review. Programmes with a focus on young people include the Social Enterprise Ambassadors programme, raising the profile of social enterprise, and embedding social enterprise in the school curriculum, such as GCSE Business Studies.

Social Change

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance he provides to the third sector on campaigning for social change; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Fiona MacTaggart).

Social Change

Paul Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the Government's policy is on third sector organisations which campaign for social change.

Edward Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart).

Social Inclusion

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent steps he has taken to promote social inclusion in rural areas.

Phil Hope: The Socially Excluded Adults Public Service Agreement and the Families at Risk Review will help to promote social inclusion in rural areas. They will support the Government's wider work on building strong rural communities and ensuring that public services meet the needs of the most vulnerable rural residents. The Government are providing over £50 million a year to support rural bus services, are ensuring that 95 per cent. of the rural population are within three miles of a Post Office, and have committed to deliver over 10,000 affordable homes in settlements of less than 3,000 inhabitants by 2011.

Hospitality: Senior Civil Servants

David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent assessment he has made of compliance with the civil service management code's rules on the registration of hospitality received by senior civil servants.

Edward Miliband: The rules on the registration of hospitality are set out in the "Civil Service Management Code". The Government are committed to publishing, for the first time, an annual list of hospitality received during 2007 by members of departmental boards. The information is currently being compiled, and it will be published shortly.

Conditions of Employment

Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in removing the two-tier workforce.

Phil Hope: In 2005 the Government introduced a Code of Practice on Workforce Matters designed to prevent the development of a two tier workforce in public services. The code's implementation is currently being reviewed as part of the work programme of the Public Services Forum. The code also explicitly encourages employees and trade unions to alert Government to any problems with its implementation.

Departmental Press

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what weekly publications the Prime Minister's office subscribes to or purchases each week; and at what cost.

Phil Hope: The Prime Minister's office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 9 October 2007,  Official Report, column 530W.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Noise

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  when the Government adopted the 57dBLeq contour as the threshold for problematic aircraft noise;
	(2)  if she will review the effectiveness of the 57dBLeq contour as a threshold for problematic transport-related noise.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In September 1990 the Department for Transport announced the replacement of the noise and number index (NNI) with Leq (16 hour) dBA as the daytime index for aircraft noise. 57 dBA Leq (measured over 07.00-23.00 period) was adopted as representing the onset of annoyance, although the Government acknowledged that there can be no absolute measure of disturbance from aircraft noise given the variation in individual reactions.
	This decision followed publication of the report "United Kingdom Aircraft Noise Index Study" (ANIS) in 1985 and subsequent consultation on its findings.
	In 2001 the Department commissioned the "Attitudes to Noise from Aviation Sources" (ANASE) study to update the ANIS research. The conclusions of this study (which were announced by the Secretary of State on 2 November 2007) indicated that whilst it is highly probable that annoyance with a particular level of aircraft noise is higher than found in the ANIS study, it showed no evidence of a particular threshold at which it becomes a serious problem.
	However, in terms of making quantitative comparisons between the results from ANASE and the earlier ANIS study, expert peer reviewers of the ANASE study advised that "reliance on the detailed outcome of ANASE would be misplaced" and that they would "counsel against using the detailed results and conclusions from ANASE in the development of government policy".
	Although the report does not provide evidence for replacing the figure of 57 dBA Leq (16 hours) with a lower or higher figure, we believe it is right to retain this figure as a safeguard for those who are most affected by aircraft noise. In the "Future of Air Transport" White Paper the Government gave a commitment that further development of Heathrow could only be considered if it resulted in no net increase in the total area of the 57 Leq dBA noise contour compared with summer 2002, an area of 127 sq km. That commitment stands and the ability to meet it is a key consideration, in the "Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport" consultation.
	Additionally, as we announced when the ANASE study was released, pending the availability of a better alternative we will apply existing valuation for road and rail noise when assessing the economic impact of noise in the cost- benefit analysis of future aviation projects. We have taken this approach in the case of "Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport" consultation.
	The Department is taking forward work to follow up the ANASE findings with the Aircraft Noise Monitoring Advisory Committee (ANMAC), whose role is to advise the Department on policy relating to aircraft noise at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
	The significance of the 57 dBA (16 hours) contour—as representing the onset of annoyance—specifically relates to aircraft noise. Noise annoyance criteria from other transport sources will reflect research, as appropriate, specific to those modes.

Aviation: Noise

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether training flight movements are included in data collected on air traffic management movements and consequential noise at UK airports.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Civil Aviation Authority collects statistics on air transport movements at the larger UK airports and these are published on their website. The published statistics include a table:
	(http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/80/airport_data/2007Annual/Table_ 03_1_Aircraft_Movements_2007.csv)
	listing non-commercial movements amongst which are test and training flights.
	The CAA also produces annual noise contours maps for the three London designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted). However similar maps for other airports are not produced.

Biofuels: Asthma

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the likely effects on incidence and severity of asthma of increased use of biofuels.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 21 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1432W.

Dartford Tunnel: Tolls

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors she took into account in deciding the level of discount to local residents for Dartford Crossing tolls.

Rosie Winterton: Final decisions have not yet been taken on discounts from Dartford Crossing charges for local residents. Our proposals are currently out to consultation, and the rationale for our proposals is described in the consultation document.

Dartford Tunnel: Tolls

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role her Department has in setting toll charges for  (a) the Mersey Tunnel and  (b) the Dartford Crossing.

Rosie Winterton: The Mersey Tunnels are not directly a matter for central Government. The Mersey Tunnels Act allows Merseytravel to increase tolls based on a Retail Price Index formula. Charges at Dartford are established by Order of the Secretary of State in exercise of powers conferred by the Transport Act 2000.

Departmental ICT

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2533-34W, on departmental ICT, how many of the missing or stolen  (a) laptops,  (b) mobile telephones and  (c) personal digital assistants have been replaced by her Department; and at what cost.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The cost for the replacement of the laptop computers, mobile telephones and personal digital assistants reported as lost, missing or stolen since 2002, as referred to in the answer of 5 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 2533-34W, was:
	£79,370 for lost, missing or stolen laptops;
	£2,852 for lost, missing or stolen mobile telephones; and
	£4,918 for lost, missing or stolen personal digital assistants.
	For the purposes of this reply, it is assumed that all lost, missing and stolen mobile devices were replaced by the Department for Transport. Complete records of whether any single lost or stolen item was actually replaced are not available. Where accurate replacement costs are not available, the replacement costs for these items have been estimated.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Disclosure of Information

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make it her policy to require the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to release information to companies making manual requests only if such companies are members of a DVLA-accredited trade association.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The requirement for private car parking companies who submit requests for vehicle keeper information via electronic channels to be a member of an Accredited Trade Association (ATA) was introduced following public consultation in 2006. The British Parking Association is the only existing ATA for the parking industry. Following the consultation, it was not considered necessary to extend this requirement to those who apply via the manual, paper-based channels due to the fact that each application is considered individually and additional to the evidence that must be provided.
	The DVLA will shortly be undertaking a review of all the new measures introduced in 2006. This review will consider the effectiveness of the current requirements, and all other options available.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Disclosure of Information

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many requests for information in respect of the registered keeper of a vehicle were made to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in the last month for which figures are available; how many of those were received by  (a) electronic and  (b) manual requests from (i) DVLA-accredited trade associations, (ii) non-DVLA-accredited car park operators, (iii) individuals and (iv) others; and how many in each category were (A) accepted and (B) refused.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002 provides for the release of information from the DVLA's vehicle register to the police, to local authorities for investigation of an offence or a decriminalised parking contravention, and to anyone who can demonstrate 'reasonable cause' for having the information made available to them.
	The requirement for unregulated companies who submit requests for vehicle keeper information via electronic channels to be a member of an Accredited Trade Association (ATA) was introduced following public consultation in 2006.
	Following the consultation, it was not considered necessary to extend this requirement to those who apply via the manual, paper-based channels due to the fact that each application is considered individually and additional to the evidence that must be provided.
	The latest figures available for requests for information processed by the DVLA under the 'reasonable cause' provisions are for March 2008.
	During March, 100,828 requests were received and responded to electronically. During the same month, 24,106 manual requests for information were received and processed and an additional 2,659 were refused.
	The aforementioned figures show 'all' requests for vehicle keeper details under the 'reasonable cause' provisions. These include requests from insurance and finance companies, private car park enforcement companies, members of the public and solicitors, etc., for keeper details at a specific date of event. It also contains requests where the current keeper requires the full history of his vehicle and from mileage companies for investigations into vehicle 'clocking'.
	DVLA does not keep separate figures for each category of requests, so it is not possible to advise how many requests were made by individuals, members of DVLA Accredited Trade Associations (ATA), non-DVLA accredited car park enforcement companies, or others.
	It is possible to confirm, however, that all electronic requests would have been made either by companies with a statutory regulator or members of an ATA.

Heathrow Airport

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how risks 2.1, 4.1, 6.2, 7, 5.1, 1.1 and 4.3 referred to in Item 3: Risks section of the Heathrow Project Board Meeting Note of 17 October 2006 are titled; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how risks 3.3, 4.3, 1.1 and 1.3 referred to in Item 4: Risks section of the Heathrow Project Board Meeting Note of 12 September 2006 are titled; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  how risks 2.2 and 2.4 discussed in Item 3: Risks section of the Heathrow Project Board Meeting Note of 10 August 2006 are titled; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  how risks 3.2, 4.2, 3.4 and 6.4 discussed in Item 3: Risks section of the Heathrow Project Board Meeting Note of 10 July 2006 are titled; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  how risks 1.1.3, 1.1.5, 1.3.2, 2.1.4, 2.1.1, 1.1.6, 1.3.7, 2.1.6 and 2.1.7 discussed in Item 3: Risks section of the Heathrow Project Board Meeting Note of 17 July 2007 are titled; and if she will make a statement;
	(6)  how risks 1.3.4, 1.4.1, 1.6.1 and 2.1.3, discussed in Item 3: Risks section of the Heathrow Project Board Meeting Note of 22 June 2007 are titled; and if she will make a statement;
	(7)  how risks 1.2.1, 1.3.5, 2.1.5, 2.2.8, 1.3.1 and 2.2.11 discussed in Item 3: Risks section of the Heathrow Project Board Meeting Note of 18 May 2007 are titled; and if she will make a statement;
	(8)  how risks 1.3.6 and 2.1.2 discussed in Item 3: Risks section of the Heathrow Project Board Meeting Note of 16 April 2007 are titled; and if she will make a statement;
	(9)  how risks 1.6.3 and 3.3.7 discussed in Item 3: Risks section of the Heathrow Project Board Meeting Note of 20 February 2007 are titled; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Risk registers are a routine feature of programme and project management and are used widely within the Department for Transport (DfT) to help ensure that potentially relevant issues are anticipated and addressed. The Heathrow Project Board regularly reviewed risks as part of the process leading to the recent Heathrow consultation, and the information requested is listed as follows, by date of meeting, risk number and descriptor:
	 10 July 2006:
	3.2—loss of housing in Sipson;
	4.2—AirTrack and Crossrail funding;
	3.4—direct action by opponents;
	6.4—communications planning.
	 10 August 2006:
	2.2—treatment of air quality 'hot spots';
	2.4—nitrogen dioxide exceedences.
	 12 September 2006:
	3.3—opposition of residents;
	4.3—meeting air quality targets;
	1.1/1.3—airspace design for mixed mode and runway three operations.
	 17 October 2006:
	2.1—mitigation measures to achieve air quality limits;
	4.1—road congestion around Heathrow;
	6.2—three runway airport operating measures;
	7—adapting the ADMS air quality model;
	5.1—price increases required to support additional capacity;
	1.1—airspace design for mixed mode operations;
	4.3—possible mitigation measures to achieve air quality compliance.
	 20 February 2007:
	1.6.3—modelling air quality compliant scenario;
	3.3.7—non-delivery of mixed mode.
	 16 April 2007:
	1.3.6—Strategic Road Network air quality exceedences;
	2.1.2—loss of housing in Sipson.
	 18 May 2007:
	1.2.1—possible mitigation measures to achieve air quality targets;
	1.3.5—road traffic modelling;
	2.1.5—public consultation handling;
	2.2.8—analysis of consultation responses;
	1.3.1—road congestion around Heathrow;
	2.2.11—ANASE study.
	 22 June 2007:
	1.3.4—surface access modelling;
	1.4.1—noise modelling;
	1.6.1—BAA and DfT scheduling forecasts;
	2.1.3—opposition of residents.
	 17 July 2007:
	1.1.3—airport operations with a third runway;
	1.1.5—interaction with Northolt airport;
	1.3.2—possible mitigation measures to achieve air quality compliance;
	2.1.4—direct action by opponents;
	2.1.1—relationship between White Paper, London Plan and local development framework;
	1.1.6—NATS Terminal Control North airspace change;
	1.3.7—accommodating increase in surface access trips;
	2.1.6—regulatory impact assessment information;
	2.1.7—resources for regulatory impact assessment.

M20: Noise

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 21 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1445W, on M20: noise, how many sites identified as being a high priority for resurfacing have been resurfaced in each of the last five years; and how many her Department plans to resurface in each of the next five years.

Tom Harris: The resurfacing of the high priority sites commenced in financial year 2004-05. The number of high priority sites which have been resurfaced in each financial year to 2007-08 is:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 2 
			 2005-06 4 
			 2006-07 3 
			 2007-08 3 
		
	
	No information is available for the planned resurfacing of the remaining high priority sites by individual financial years. However, four sites are currently planned to be resurfaced before the end of financial year 2010-11. The remaining 10 sites are planned to be resurfaced after 2010-11.

Mersey Tunnel: Tolls

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received on providing a discount for Mersey Tunnel tolls for local residents.

Rosie Winterton: The Department for Transport is not aware of any representations relating to discounts for local residents for use of the Mersey Tunnels.

Passengers: Borders

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate she has made of the projected number of passenger movements across UK borders in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not available.
	However, the Department for Transport's latest forecasts of air passenger demand at UK airports are reported in "UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts" (November 2007), available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/environmentalissues/ukairdemandandco2forecasts/

Railways: Postal Services

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of the merits of reopening the MailRail postal transport system under central London for mail or other purposes.

Tom Harris: The Department for Transport has not carried out any assessment into the merits of reopening the Post Office Underground Railway system. Decisions on the future of the system are a commercial matter for the Royal Mail.

Railways: Sales

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of dismantled railway track bed have been sold by the British Railways Property Board since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: BRB (Residuary) does not record the length of trackbed that it disposes of. However, since 2001, the number of sites containing trackbed that have been sold is limited as most disused railway lines that were owned by the British Railways Board had been disposed of by then.

Railways: Watford

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers used the Watford-Gatwick service operated by Southern in each year since the service began; what the Government's plans are for the service; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: A survey carried out during 2007 showed that some 8500 passengers per day use the Watford-Gatwick service, of whom fewer than 30 per cent. were making journeys from one side of Clapham Junction to the other, and fewer than 3 per cent. were making journeys to and from Gatwick airport.
	I understand that Southern (the train operator) intend to make an announcement about plans for this service shortly.

Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will take steps to ensure that fuel counting towards the renewable transport fuel obligation is sourced only from sustainable and local supply chains; and if she will take steps against those producers, wholesalers and retailers which do not meet these requirements.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), which came into effect on 15 April, transport fuel suppliers are required to report on the sustainability of any biofuels in respect of which they wish to earn renewable transport fuel certificates. Details of the reporting requirements are available via the Renewable Fuels Agency's website at http://www.dft.gov.uk/rfa.
	The Government have set various targets to encourage transport fuel suppliers to source sustainable, low carbon biofuels. The Renewable Fuels Agency will report regularly on the performance of different transport fuel suppliers against these targets.
	In parallel, the Government are pressing for EU-wide mandatory sustainability standards for all biofuels: these could be in place by April 2010.

Roads: Tolls

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research her Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) plans to commission on enabling technologies for road pricing schemes; and what timetable is planned for such research in each case.

Rosie Winterton: The Government have invited the private sector to demonstrate how they might run a system of charging for road use according to time of day and route chosen. On 12 March we issued, to eight pre-qualified bidders, the first invitation to tender in this two-year demonstrations project, for the framework for road user service providers. We expect that this framework agreement will be established during June 2008, with the first trials involving volunteers getting underway this autumn.

Roads: Tolls

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how her Department takes into account the average income of local residents when deciding on the level of tolls for river road crossings and tunnels for which it is responsible.

Rosie Winterton: The only charging regime for which the Department for Transport is responsible is the scheme for the Dartford Crossing. Income of local residents is not specifically taken into account in setting charges.

Roundabouts

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will issue guidance on providing pedestrian crossings at roundabouts that at night can be decoupled from the traffic lights that control their operation to increase traffic flow and reduce noise at such junctions at night.

Rosie Winterton: The type of crossing and use of traffic lights depends on the type of roundabout and its location. The local highway authority is responsible for deciding the most appropriate type of crossing and junction control.
	Department for Transport advice on pedestrian crossings is given in two Local Transport Notes, LTN 1/95 The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings and LTN 2/95 The Design of Pedestrian Crossings. LTN 2/95 provides advice on pedestrian crossings on the approaches to roundabouts and at traffic light controlled junctions. This advice includes the need to consider linking crossings with other nearby traffic lights to co-ordinate when the lights change and ease traffic flow.
	The Department has commissioned research to examine options for traffic lights at roundabouts. We will consider the need for further guidance when that research is complete.

Traffic Management Act 2004

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to issue guidance to local authorities in respect of the issuing of fixed penalty notices under the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Rosie Winterton: The Traffic Management Act 2004 amends the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to allow the use of fixed penalties for certain offences, as an alternative to prosecution in the magistrates court. The "Code of Practice for the Co-ordination of Street Works and Works for Road Purposes and Related Matters" which was released in July 2007 and re-issued in the 31 March 2008, included a chapter on fixed penalties.

WALES

Council Tax: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what council tax band amendments in Wales were made subsequent to the 2005 council tax revaluation; and how many homes were moved into a higher band after the revaluation came into effect.

Paul Murphy: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on carbon offsetting in each of the last three years; and to which companies payments for carbon offsetting have been made in each such year.

Paul Murphy: My Department has offset its carbon emissions for the last two years.
	The costs, to the Wales Office, of offsets were:
	April 2007—£4307.80
	March 2008—£747.20.
	On both occasions the carbon offsetting was through "PURE the clean planet Trust".

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Disease Control

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which animal disease preventative measures the Government plans to include in cost-sharing arrangements with farmers.

Jonathan R Shaw: A consultation on responsibility and cost sharing for animal health and welfare closed on 15 April. Responses to that consultation will inform a further public consultation on specific proposals later this autumn.

Animal Welfare

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on a UK-wide animal health and welfare strategy.

Jonathan R Shaw: An Animal Health and Welfare Strategy for Britain was launched in 2004. Northern Ireland has a similar strategy and is currently consulting on a draft all-island strategy. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has appointed an advisory body, the England Implementation Group, to oversee delivery of the strategy in England. This group maintains links with its Scottish and Welsh counterparts to review British wide strategy implementation issues.

Badgers

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cage traps for catching badgers his Department holds in store.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA does not hold in storage any cage traps for catching badgers. The traps that were used during the randomised badger culling trial have been disposed of.
	The Central Science Laboratory (an agency of DEFRA) holds over 600 badger cage traps which are being used as part of DEFRA-funded research.

Badgers

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated badger population was in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.

Joan Ruddock: Surveys of badger populations in Great Britain were undertaken in the mid-1980s and mid-1990s. In the mid-1980s the badger population was estimated to be 250,000 and in the mid-1990s a survey estimated the population had increased by 77 per cent.
	DEFRA is not aware of any national surveys which have attempted to estimate badger populations in England and Wales.

Badgers

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice he has received on the potential effectiveness of a tuberculosis vaccine for badgers if given to an already infected animal.

Jonathan R Shaw: Vaccination evokes an immune response to prevent an uninfected animal from contracting the disease. The effect of Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccination on already TB-infected badgers is unknown, but work is under way to determine this. It may have no effect, may delay or reduce excretion of TB bacilli, but is not expected to have any adverse effect.
	Ecologists have advised that the turnover in a badger population is 30 per cent. per annum and modelling has shown that in a relatively short timescale there would be a mostly naïve uninfected population in which vaccine would become more effective.

Badgers

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information  (a) is held by and  (b) has been provided to each Divisional Veterinary Officer on the relocation of badgers from urban and suburban areas to rural areas.

Jonathan R Shaw: This information is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost to the Department.

Biofuels: Environment Protection

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department is undertaking on the environmental impact of biofuels.

Phil Woolas: The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) includes a reporting mechanism under which any transport fuel supplier wishing to claim a certificate in respect of any biofuel must submit a report detailing its environmental impacts. These reports will enable the Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) to report regularly on the progress that is being made towards meeting targets under the obligation, as well as on the carbon savings and sustainability impacts of the policy.
	In response to Government concern about the indirect impacts of biofuel cultivation, the chairman of the Renewable Fuels Agency is leading a study commissioned by the Department for Transport (the Gallagher Review) which is looking at effects of biofuels on land use change and the consequences for greenhouse gas savings. It is also examining the effects on international food prices and food security. The results of the review will inform the development of future UK biofuel policies and targets, including proposed EU targets for future biofuel consumption.

Birds: Conservation

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' plans for sites of special scientific interest land in Castle Point constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: Natural England is DEFRA's delivery body for sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) and it has received no proposals from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in relation to plans for SSSIs in Castle Point.

Bluetongue Disease: Disease Control

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what procedures are used to ensure that imported exotic livestock which are susceptible to or may be infected with bluetongue disease are kept in an insect-free environment for the duration of their quarantine.

Jonathan R Shaw: The UK fully implements EU legislation with respect to imports of exotic ruminant animals from outside the EU. These rules take into account the full range of disease risks and are consequently very restrictive. In practice, such imports rarely occur so the question of quarantine does not arise.
	Movements of exotic ruminants within the EU are subject to the same rules as those for farm livestock. There are a number of options based on combinations of protection from insect vector attack, blood testing and vaccination, all of which are carried out before departure and certified by the official veterinary services of the exporting country. These rules are kept under constant review in the light of experience and emerging science.
	Once animals have arrived in the UK, they are restricted to the premises of destination and tested for bluetongue within two days of arrival. In exotic species, testing is carried out on the basis of a risk assessment.

Bluetongue Disease: Disease Control

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with manufacturers of Bt8 vaccine other than Intervet on supplying the UK market.

Jonathan R Shaw: Since the Government decided to place an order with Intervet for 22.5 million doses of BTV-8 vaccine following a tender issued last year, DEFRA officials have met representatives from Merial and Fort Dodge to give them feedback on the tender process.
	We are considering with the farming industry how best to secure future supplies of vaccine and will keep our options under review in the coming weeks.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Compensation

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  from which individuals and organisations his Department has sought advice on modifications to the table valuation system for compensation for cattle culled as a result of bovine tuberculosis in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what options for modifications to the table valuation system for compensation for cattle culled as a result of bovine tuberculosis he has considered;
	(3)  when he expects to make modifications to the table valuation system for compensation for cattle culled as a result of bovine tuberculosis.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Government recognise that the new compensation system, based on table valuations, which was introduced in February 2006, is not supported by many in the farming industry.
	DEFRA has not ruled out the possibility of changes to the current compensation system, but any changes would need to be justified and take into account the interests of all parties, including taxpayers. They would also need to take account of the extensive evidence in the level of over-valuation experienced under the previous system based on individual valuations. DEFRA held discussions with members of the Cattle Compensation Advisory Group about possible modifications to the new system without reaching any consensus. Discussions have also taken place with representatives from the organic farming sector to consider their view that system enhancements are needed for organically produced cattle.
	A Judicial Review challenge concerning the table valuation system will be heard in the High Court in early June and any decisions about modifications to the system will take into account the judgment in that case.

Burbots: Imports

George Young: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he will reply to the request from the University of Southampton, London Zoo and the Environment Agency for an import licence for burbots.

Jonathan R Shaw: We are in dialogue with the University of Southampton, London Zoo and the Environment Agency and are working collaboratively to find a solution to this situation.

Climate Change

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with  (a) wildlife trusts and  (b) gardening associations on their evaluation of the impact of climate change; and what encouragement he is giving to them to measure that impact.

Joan Ruddock: I am in regular contact with a wide range of interest groups on the impact of climate change.
	The England Biodiversity Group, chaired by DEFRA, oversees the delivery of the England Biodiversity Strategy which has several workstreams including Climate Change Adaptation. A number of national and local members of Wildlife Trusts are active members of different workstreams within the strategy and have the opportunity to offer their views on climate change and to influence the workstreams plans towards adaptation. In 2007 the UK Biodiversity Partnership Standing Committee published "Conserving Biodiversity—the UK Approach" a new strategic framework for the UK biodiversity action plan, which identified shared priorities for action for priority species and habitats, acknowledging the need to help biodiversity respond to climate change. The Wildlife Trusts belong to the Wildlife and Countryside Link who are members of the UK Biodiversity Partnership Standing Committee.
	DEFRA has had discussions with members of the Growing Media Initiative (GMI), an industry-led group which has been set up to meet targets for the reduction of peat use in horticulture/gardening. A new project has also been funded by DEFRA to examine the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, production, processing, transport and use of growing media used by this sector and members of the GMI are involved in the Project Steering Group. In addition, DEFRA is aware that a number of growing media manufacturers and retailers are undertaking work to determine the carbon footprint of their products. DEFRA funds the UK Climate Impacts Programme, which will be hosting a stall at this year's Chelsea Flower show to promote awareness of current and projected climate change impacts.

Departmental Manpower

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which offices of  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies are outside London; how many staff were employed in each pay grade at each location on (i) 1 October 2001 and (ii) 1 April 2004; and how many are planned to be employed at each location on 31 March 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA has offices outside London at the following locations: Alnwick, Aston Down, Belfast, Beverley, Boston, Bristol Burghill Road, Bristol Temple Quay House, Bury St. Edmunds, Cambridge Eastbrook, Cambridge White House Lane, Cardiff Cathays Park, Cardiff Llanishen, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chichester, Chorley, Crewe Electra Way, Edinburgh, Exeter, Felixstowe, Gatwick, Guildford, Heathrow AHO, Heathrow PHSI, Hereford, Kings Lynn, Leeds, Lewes, Lincoln, Newcastle, Northallerton, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Peterborough, Polwhele, Reading Coley Park, Reading Kings House, Reading Innovation Centre, Sheerness, Shrewsbury, St. Asaph, Stafford, Stevenage, Swansea, Taunton Quantock House, Taunton Riverside Chambers, Tilbury, Trowbridge, Truro, Tunbridge Wells, Weybridge, Winchester, Witney, Wolverhampton, Worcester, Workington, Wye and York.
	DEFRA's agencies have offices outside London as follows:
	 Animal Health:
	Aberystwyth, Ashford, Ayr, Bakewell, Beverley, Boston, Bristol, Bristol Temple Quay House, Bury St. Edmunds, Caernarfon, Cambridge, Cardiff, Carlisle, Carmarthen, Chelmsford, Chorley, Crewe, Dorchester, Dover, Dumfries, Elgin, Exeter, Galashiels, Gloucester, Hamilton, Heathrow, Inverness, Inverurie, Itchen Abbas, Kirkwall, Launceston, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Llandrindod Wells, Llanishen, Luddington, Maidstone, Newcastle, Northallerton, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Oban, Oxford, Perth, Preston, Reading, Reigate, Shrewsbury, St. Asaph, Stafford, Stevenage, Stranraer, Taunton, Thurso, Trowbridge, Truro, Wolverhampton, Worcester, Wye and York.
	 Central Science Laboratory:
	Sand Hutton York and Woodchester Park
	Gloucestershire.
	 Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture:
	Burnham, Lowestoft, Weymouth
	 Government Decontamination Service:
	Crewe and Stafford.
	 Marine and Fisheries Agency:
	Amble, Brixham, Fleetwood, Grimsby, Hartlepool, Harwich, Hastings, Holyhead, Kings Lynn, Lowestoft, Milford Haven, Newlyn, North Shield, Penryn, Penzance, Plymouth, Poole, Portslade, Portsmouth, Scarborough and Whitehaven.
	 Pesticides Safety Directorate:
	York Foss House and York Mallard House.
	 Rural Payments Agency:
	Reading, Carlisle, Exeter, Newcastle, Northallerton and Workington.
	 Veterinary Laboratories Agency:
	Aberystwyth, Bury St Edmunds, Carmarthen, Langford, Lasswade, Luddington, Newcastle, Penrith, Preston, Shrewsbury, Starcross, Sutton Bonnington, Thirsk, Truro, Weybridge and Winchester.
	 Veterinary Medicines Directorate:
	Addlestone
	The number of staff in grade at each location for CSL and RPA are shown in the following tables. Information on the number of staff in each pay grade at each location for DEFRA, AH, CEFAS, GDS, MFA, PSD, VLA and VMD is not available for the dates requested.
	
		
			  Central Science Laboratory 
			   Number 
			   Staff by grade and location - 1 October 2001 
			  SCS Band 7 Band 6 Band 5 Band 4 Band 3 Band 2 Band 1 Total 
			 Sand Hutton 4.00 16.61 43.00 68.45 120.93 125.40 164.96 36.61 579.96 
			 Woodchester Park 0.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 3.00 3.81 6.00 0.54 16.35 
			 Other 0.00 1.00 1.00 2.00 9.54 15.15 6.00 10.50 45.19 
			   Staff by location and grade - 1 April 2004 
			  SCS Band 7 Band 6 Band 5 Band 4 Band 3 Band 2 Band 1 Total 
			 Sand Hutton 4.00 17.00 54.25 83.11 123.86 157.25 159.14 39.76 638.37 
			 Woodchester Park 0.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 3.00 7.81 3.00 0.54 17.35 
			 Other 0.00 1.00 1.00 2.00 9.54 5.00 13.00 1.00 32.54 
			   Forecasted staff by location and grade - 31 March 2008 
			  SCS Band 7 Band 6 Band 5 Band 4 Band 3 Band 2 Band 1 Total 
			 Sand Hutton 4.00 13.00 55.22 87.53 117.58 149.22 127.02 29.78 583.35 
			 Woodchester Park 0.00 0.00 2.00 1.92 6.00 7.00 10.00 0.43 27.35 
			 Other 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 9.54 5.00 4.81 0.00 21.35 
			  Note:  'Other' category contains home-based staff and others not based at either main CSL site. 
		
	
	
		
			  Rural Payments Agency 
			   Staff by grade and location - 1 October 2001 
			  Location  SCS  G6  G7  SFO  SEO  HEO  EO 
			 Bristol 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.00 19.00 
			 Cambridge 0.00 1.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 6.00 34.00 
			 Carlisle 0.00 0.00 2.00 0.00 5.00 14.73 70.69 
			 Crewe 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00 9.81 
			 Exeter 0.00 1.00 1.00 0.00 3.00 14.00 57.17 
			 Inspectorate 0.00 0.00 3.00 2.00 10.00 22.49 97.96 
			 Newcastle 0.00 1.00 6.00 0.00 9.00 32.86 116.09 
			 Nottingham 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.81 50.00 
			 Reading 5.92 10.00 37.28 0.00 55.58 137.59 250.24 
			 Worcester 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 19.00 
			 Grand Total 5.92 13.00 49.28 2.00 83.58 238.49 723.96 
		
	
	
		
			  Location  PS  AO  SGB1  AA  TYPIST  SGB2  Grand Total 
			 Bristol 0.00 14.00 0.00 5.00 0.00 0.00 41.00 
			 Cambridge 0.00 59.28 0.00 17.54 1.00 0.00 119.82 
			 Carlisle 0.61 95.68 1.00 81.01 4.11 2.00 276.82 
			 Crewe 0.00 59.67 0.00 20.00 0.65 0.00 92.13 
			 Exeter 1.00 180.64 2.11 58.01 1.69 2.00 321.62 
			 Inspectorate 1.00 14.54 0.00 6.00 0.00 0.00 156.99 
			 Newcastle 1.00 298.68 3.00 90.66 6.81 11.00 576.10 
			 Nottingham 0.00 86.11 0.00 27.00 2.00 0.00 170.92 
			 Reading 11.54 632.60 4.68 131.72 7.89 13.95 1298.99 
			 Worcester 0.00 4.00 0.00 4.00 0.00 0.00 27.00 
			 Grand Total 15.15 1445.20 10.78 440.94 24.15 28.95 3,081.39 
		
	
	
		
			  Staff by Location and Grade - 1 April 2004 
			  Location  SCS  GR6  GR7  SFO  SEO  HEO  EO 
			 Reading 9.00 7.00 27.81 0.00 59.56 124.77 163.28 
			 Cambridge 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Carlisle 0.00 1.00 3.00 0.00 5.86 15.94 51.37 
			 Crewe 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 2.00 11.62 
			 Exeter 0.00 1.00 2.00 0.00 5.00 16.86 55.43 
			 Newcastle 0.00 1.00 2.00 0.00 7.00 23.68 55.26 
			 Northallerton 0.00 1.00 2.00 0.00 5.00 16.46 39.68 
			 Nottingham 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 3.81 13.62 
			 Workington 1.00 0.00 3.00 0.00 6.00 18.83 71.34 
			 Inspectorate 0.00 1.00 7.00 2.00 17.00 23.00 295.45 
			 Total 10.00 12.00 46.81 2.00 107.42 245.35 757.05 
		
	
	
		
			  Location  PS  AO  SGB1  AA  TYPIST  SGB2  Grand Total 
			 Reading 6.00 356.54 2.00 4.00 27.39 7.81 795.16 
			 Cambridge 0.00 2.00 0.00 0.00 0.74 0.00 2.74 
			 Carlisle 0.68 155.02 0.00 2.50 95.74 1.00 332.11 
			 Crewe 0.00 52.88 0.00 0.76 29.00 1.00 98.26 
			 Exeter 1.00 225.61 1.55 0.00 107.22 5.00 420.67 
			 Newcastle 0.86 229.12 1.00 0.81 78.21 5.41 404.35 
			 Northallerton 1.00 221.44 1.49 0.93 135.98 4.00 428.98 
			 Nottingham 0.00 99.35 0.00 2.59 41.43 1.00 162.80 
			 Workington 2.00 311.63 15.34 0.00 41.58 0.00 470.72 
			 Inspectorate 0.00 61.65 0.00 0.00 15.08 0.00 422.18 
			 Total 11.54 1,715.24 21.38 11.59 572.37 25.22 3,537.97 
		
	
	
		
			  Forecasted staff by location and grade - 31 March 2008 
			  Location  SCS  GR6  GR7  SFO  SEO  HEO  EO 
			 Reading 9.00 18.00 51.26 0.00 87.57 152.18 188.88 
			 Carlisle 0.00 1.00 4.81 0.00 9.61 26.41 80.50 
			 Exeter 0.00 1.00 4.00 0.00 6.94 24.60 89.57 
			 Newcastle 0.00 1.00 5.00 0.00 15.39 30.83 100.58 
			 Northallerton 0.00 2.00 5.93 0.00 12.80 33.68 91.95 
			 Workington 0.00 1.00 6.00 0.00 9.41 25.31 110.00 
			 Inspectorate 0.00 1.00 5.00 1.00 27.00 73.04 319.02 
			 Total 9.00 25.00 82.00 1.00 168.72 366.05 980.50 
		
	
	
		
			   SCS  GR6  GR7  SFO  SEO  HEO  EO 
			 Reading 0.00 165.31 1.00 0.00 2.00 2.00 677.20 
			 Carlisle 0.00 282.11 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 404.44 
			 Exeter 0.00 217.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 343.61 
			 Newcastle 0.00 245.79 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 398.59 
			 Northallerton 0.00 237.89 2.68 0.00 0.00 1.00 387.93 
			 Workington 0.00 584.56 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 736.28 
			 Inspectorate 0.00 32.36 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 458.42 
			 Total 0.00 1,765.52 3.68 0.00 2.00 3.00 3,406.47

Departmental NDPBs

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were serving on the boards of the non-departmental public bodies which his Department sponsors at the latest date for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 6 May 2008
	The Cabinet Office publication "Public bodies 2007" lists the number of people serving on the boards of public bodies as at 31 March 2007. These figures are broken down by individual Departments. "Public bodies 2007" can be downloaded from
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/public/bodies.asp.
	Copies are also available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many full-time posts were filled on a temporary basis for a period in excess of six months in his Department in each of the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: Posts may be filled temporarily by a variety of means, eg using short-term appointments, temporary promotion, employment agency temporary staff or interims. Consequently, it is not possible to identify all posts filled temporarily for longer than six months without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Written Questions

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many days it took on average to answer written parliamentary questions tabled by each hon. Member for answer by him in the last six months.

Jonathan R Shaw: Information to the level of detail requested is obtainable only at disproportionate cost.
	The available information is set out in the following tables.
	
		
			   Total written questions received  Total number of PQs answered within five sitting days  Percentage 
			 November 559 357 63.9 
			 December 359 220 61.3 
			 January 425 265 62.4 
			 February 407 286 70.3 
			 March 371 256 69 
		
	
	
		
			   Total named day questions received  Total number of PQs answered on time  Percentage 
			 November 133 49 36.8 
			 December 67 27 40.3 
			 January 143 61 42.7 
			 February 69 33 47.8 
			 March 71 20 28.2 
		
	
	My ministerial colleagues and I are committed to answering written parliamentary questions promptly. Unfortunately, this is not always possible.

Energy Saving Trust: Consultants

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what payments the Energy Savings Trust made to  (a) Stratagem,  (b) Weber Shandwick Public Affairs,  (c) Consolidated Communications and  (d) Positif Politics Ltd. in each of the last five years; and on what date and for what purpose the payment was made in each case.

Phil Woolas: The Energy Saving Trust is a private company limited by guarantee.

Environment Protection: Housing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to his Department's press release of 2 April 2008 on initiatives on greener homes, by what criteria green neighbourhoods will be selected; and what role he expects local authorities to play in the selection process.

Phil Woolas: The Energy Saving Trust are currently working with a range of stakeholders to develop the programme with an aim to launch the competition for funding proposals by the end of the year. We expect the first successful projects to be funded from April 2009.
	The competition will call for local alliances between householders, community groups, local authorities, energy suppliers, private companies and banks to come forward with proposals to transform homes and streets into green neighbourhoods. By pooling their resources, and with additional money made available from the domestic Environmental Transformation Fund, we wish to see the environmental performance of up to 100 such neighbourhoods across England transformed, with the aim of reducing their carbon footprints by over 60 per cent.

Fisheries: Trade Competitiveness

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the fuel subsidy given by Spain to its fishing industry on the competitiveness of the British fleet.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer given 1 May 2008
	European Union (EU) state aid rules designed to prevent distortion to competition do not require the EU Commission clearance of an aid scheme or schemes which cumulatively pay less than £30,000 per recipient over three years. I understand that the Spanish Government are paying aid to its fishing fleet at a level below this "de minimis" limit and hence, no assessment has been made.

Flood Control

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Environment Agency will publish its Strategy for Flood Risk Management for 2009 to 2014.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency will publish its Strategy in spring 2009.

Flood Control: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what analysis of critical infrastructure facilities has been undertaken in respect of Gloucestershire since July 2007; what additional protection has been put in place as a result; and what consideration has been given to the relocation of critical infrastructure.

Phil Woolas: During the Gloucestershire floods, electricity supplies were disrupted due to flooding of the Castlemeads electricity distribution substation. In addition, the larger Walham electricity transmission substation required urgent flood protection measures to be carried out to prevent the site from being flooded. Both of these substations now have permanent flood protection barriers in place.
	A review into the resilience of electricity substations to flooding was initiated by the Energy Minister. It is being led by the Energy Networks Association with support from network owners, BERR, Ofgem and the Environment Agency. This review has made contributions to Sir Michael Pitt's review into learning lessons from the 2007 floods and has developed a framework for assessing flood risk and mitigation measures that will be used to assess the situation at each of the major electricity substations during the remainder of 2008.
	Severn Trent Water has been developing plans to secure alternative piped water supplies to Gloucestershire in the event of losing either Mythe or Mitcheldean Water Treatment Works. These plans are not limited to providing additional flood protection at the works and include such things as new pumping stations and improved interconnectivity between the works at Mythe and Strensham. The company presented outline proposals to Gloucestershire Overview and Scrutiny Management committee on 31 March 2008.

Fly Tipping: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were prosecuted for fly-tipping in the London borough of Enfield in each of the last five years.

Joan Ruddock: Data are only available from 2004 onwards.
	I have arranged for a table to be placed in the Library of the House showing the number of fly-tipping incidents and prosecutions recorded in each local authority by local authorities on Flycapture for 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07.
	Following the release of the 2006-07 Flycapture statistics on 9 October 2007, this information has been sent to all MPs.
	It is also available to download electronically on DEFRA's Flycapture website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/flytipping/flycapture-data.htm

Food: Prices

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the relationship between biofuels and rising food prices; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: We have received various representations on this issue from both hon. Members and the public.
	The Government are concerned about the effect of rising food prices. Although not the main cause, the demand for biofuels is a contributing factor. Other factors include adverse weather conditions affecting recent harvests, the increasing demand for meat and hence for animal feed in developing countries, trade restrictions imposed by Governments on exports and higher production costs, such as a rise in fertiliser prices.

Horses: Exports

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his officials last raised with the European Commission the ban on the import of UK thoroughbred bloodstock by the Indian Government.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA has raised the issue of the ban on the export of breeding horses to India with the European Commission (and others) several times over many years, most recently in March this year. We will continue to do so as we and the Commission is very keen to resolve this long-standing issue in line with international protocol (World Animal Health Organisation) for Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM). The Commission has recently urged the Indian authorities to accept our invitation to visit the UK to see our CEM controls but the Indians have not so far taken up the offer. The Indian ban affects all countries in which CEM has occurred in the past three years, which includes other member states.

National Parks: Aviation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to protect national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty from the effects of aircraft noise pollution.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA has no formal role to play in how airspace is utilised. The Civil Aviation Authority is charged with scrutinising airspace change proposals and reaching a decision on them, balancing all the competing interests. I understand that Department for Transport guidance requires the Civil Aviation Authority to be rigorous in identifying and reviewing all significant environmental effects of airspace changes, and to notify the Secretary of State for Transport should an airspace change have a significant detrimental effect on the environment.
	However, I recently asked my officials to write to the Civil Aviation Authority to remind it of its duty to have regard to the purposes of the National Parks under the provisions of section 11A(2) of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, and the purpose of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty under the provisions of section 85 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Nature Conservation: Wildlife

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps the Government has taken to increase the protection of endangered species.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 1 May 2008
	Species protection has both national and international facets to it, and recent steps to improve protection have included the following:
	Following advice from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the water vole, short-snouted seahorse, spiny seahorse, roman snail and angel shark have now been given enhanced protection in England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
	On 28 August 2007, I announced a new UK list of priority species and habitats (containing 1,149 species), which provides a focus for conservation action over the next decade and will be used to inform statutory lists under legislation in each of the countries of the UK.
	In August last year, we brought into force regulations that increased the protection of species listed on annex IV of the habitats directive.
	On the wider international stage, at the 2007 Conference of Parties to the convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES), the UK fully supported the increased protection of a range of species affected by international trade including the slow loris, the European eel and brazilwood. During 2007-08, DEFRA provided funding of around £1 million towards the operation of CITES and other major conventions, most notably the convention on biological diversity (CBD) including targeted funding for specific projects to protect and conserve albatrosses and petrels, migratory sharks, African elephants, Indian ocean marine turtles and tigers. In addition, DEFRA provided £75,000 for the Flagship Species Fund, which included projects on endangered sea turtles, primates and conifers.

Office of Water Services: Finance

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial contributions water companies make to Ofwat.

Phil Woolas: Ofwat's expenditure is entirely funded through licence fees paid by appointed and licensed water companies in England and Wales. The fees recovered in 2007-08 came to a total of £12.4 million.

Packaging: Supermarkets

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to encourage  (a) supermarket shoppers to re-use plastic bags and  (b) supermarkets to use less packaging; and if he will introduce schemes encouraging supermarkets to provide fewer plastic bags to shoppers.

Joan Ruddock: The Government pledged in the "Waste Strategy for England 2007" to phase out free single-use carrier bags.
	The UK retail sector set itself a shared objective with the Government and the Waste and Resources Action programme (WRAP) to reduce the environmental impact of carrier bags by 25 per cent. by the end of 2008.
	The Prime Minister announced on 19 November 2007 that we needed to go further—to eliminate single-use carrier bags altogether in favour of long-lasting and more sustainable alternatives. The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Budget on 12 March that we will introduce legislation to impose a charge on single-use carrier bags in 2009 if we have not seen sufficient progress on a voluntary basis.
	The management of packaging and packaging waste is covered by two sets of regulations in the UK: the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 and the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 (as amended). The aim of both sets of regulations is to minimise the amount of packaging used in the first place, and therefore reduce packaging waste. An additional objective of the regulations is to encourage reuse of packaging and increase the recovery and recycling of packaging waste.
	My Department continues to encourage supermarkets to take greater responsibility for the waste they place on the market and to encourage producers to reduce their waste. Apart from the two sets of packaging regulations described above, WRAP is currently working with retailers through the 'Courtauld Commitment', a voluntary agreement which aimed to halt packaging growth by March this year and make absolute reductions in packaging waste by 2010.

Pest Control: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the proportion of local authorities charging for pest control services at the latest date for which figures are available according to estimates of  (a) his Department and  (b) the Audit Commission.

Joan Ruddock: DEFRA holds no information on either the number or proportion of local authorities which charge for pest control services. It is for local authorities to decide on the most appropriate pest control programme in their own area, whilst having regard to their duties for controlling rats and mice under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949.

Pests

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statistics his Department collects on  (a) the size of the rodent population and  (b) incidences of vermin infestation in England.

Joan Ruddock: DEFRA does not collect statistics on the size of rodent populations. DEFRA will shortly be publishing an interim report on rodent presence in domestic properties as revealed by the English House Condition Survey data for 2002-03 and 2003-04. Key findings are that the occurrences of rats inside and outside properties in these years are not significantly different from those observed in 2001.

Plastic Bags

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of plastic bags used  (a) by supermarket shoppers in the last 12 months and  (b) in England in the last 10 years.

Joan Ruddock: The Waste and Resources Action programme (WRAP) estimates that over 13 billion carrier bags are distributed in the UK each year. Of these, the supermarket signatories to the WRAP's voluntary agreement on carrier bags accounted for 12.7 billion bags in 2006 and 11.6 billion in 2007, of which 89 per cent. were plastic in 2006 and 80 per cent. were plastic in 2007.
	We do not have figures predating this, or for England only.

Seals: Canada

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he last discussed the seal hunt in Canada with the Canadian Government; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The last meeting with the Canadian Government at ministerial level took place on 28 March 2007 when Ian McCartney, the then joint Minister for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), together with officials from DTI, FCO and DEFRA, met with a delegation from Canada to discuss the seal hunt.
	More recently, officials from my Department, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and FCO, met with a delegation from Canada on 31 March this year to discuss the Canadian seal hunt.
	I also wrote to the Canadian High Commissioner on 22 April agreeing to a meeting with me, or Ministerial colleagues at BERR or FCO, once the EU-commissioned report on the impact of any regulatory or other EU-wide measures in response to seal hunting has been published.

Sheep: Electronic Tagging

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on the compulsory use of electronic identification for sheep; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: EC Council Regulation 21/2004 provides for the mandatory introduction of electronic identification (EID) of sheep and goats from 31 December 2009 for member states with flocks above a certain threshold number. In the UK only sheep will have to be electronically identified. We will be working in partnership with industry over the coming months to discuss how we can implement EID in a way which is practical and which the industry can make work.

Waste Disposal: Closed Circuit Television

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the use of CCTV footage to monitor waste disposal.

Joan Ruddock: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 14 January 2008,  Official Report, column 858W.
	In addition, I can advise that local authorities are responsible for planning and monitoring their CCTV systems and that there has been no guidance issued by my Department on their use at municipal waste facilities or to monitor recycling.

Waste Management

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps the Government has taken to improve local waste management.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 1 May 2008
	Waste Strategy 2007 outlines the role of local authorities in working towards improvements in local waste management.
	My Department has recently announced that it has awarded PFI credits to four projects across England to improve local waste management. The projects will help local authorities deliver carbon benefits and divert over a million tonnes of waste from landfill. Each of the four projects will support the local authority's waste ambitions. All aim to reduce the overall amount of waste created, and it is anticipated they all will deliver a minimum of a 50 per cent. recycling rate by 2020, with some aspiring to reach 60 per cent.
	My Department is also consulting on draft regulations and draft guidance for proposals for establishing joint waste authorities in England. The consultation outlines that neighbouring local authorities, working together, can deliver better integrated and cost-effective waste services.
	The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which is partly funded by the Government, continues to support local authorities in their work to deliver better recycling services and more waste reduction.

World War II: Medals

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long on average it took for a successful applicant for the Women's Land Army Award to receive their badge in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: There have been over 28,000 applications for the Women's Land Army and Timber Corps badge. The badges are currently being manufactured and it is anticipated that they will be distributed to all applicants towards the end of June 2008.

World War II: Medals

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many applications his Department had received for the Women's Land Army Award at the latest date for which figures are available; how many of those applications had been acknowledged; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: We have received approximately 28,200 applications for the Women's Land Army and Timber Corps badge. Completed application forms have not been acknowledged due to the high volumes received. However, all other written correspondence, approximately 3,000 pieces, has been acknowledged.

TREASURY

Council Tax: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 10 September 2007,  Official Report, column 1969W, on council tax: valuation, if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreement between the Valuation Office Agency and the IDeA in relation to Valuebill, redacting any commercially confidential elements.

Jane Kennedy: The Valuation Office Agency does not have a formal agreement with IDeA in relation to Valuebill.

Council Tax: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Gate 4 review of the valuations project undertaken in relation to the Valuation Office Agency's planned council tax revaluation in England.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for North-East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt) on 24 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1017W.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of duty paid by consumers on vehicle fuel sold in the UK in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: The total excise duty raised on the quantities of vehicle fuel released for consumption is published in table 3 of the Hydrocarbon Oils Bulletin. This can be found at:
	http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bulloil.

Housing: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 8 October 2007,  Official Report, column 227W, on housing: valuation, what technical name or definition was given to the localities referred to for the purposes of the automated valuation model; what co-efficient value was given to each locality for regression analysis; and what unique reference number or other identifier was given to each locality.

Jane Kennedy: There is no other technical name for localities as used by the Valuation Office Agency in the context of its automated valuation models. The Agency has defined a locality as being an area that is subject to the same, or similar, market forces. In the multiple regression analysis, coefficients generated for localities differ from locality to locality. The coefficient generated for each of approximately 10,000 localities in England could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Every 'live' locality within a Billing Authority area is allocated a unique number.

Income Tax

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of income tax which would otherwise have accrued to the Exchequer from those who have  (a) taken early retirement and  (b) moved from full-time to part-time work at each year from age 55 up to the state retirement age in each of the last three years.

Jane Kennedy: The information is not available.

Taxation: Fuels

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much VAT revenue was raised from the sale of road fuel in each of the last 60 months for which figures are available;
	(2)  if he will estimate the average percentage of average household disposable income accounted for by  (a) the purchase of road fuel and  (b) the duty and VAT payable on road fuel in each of the last (i) five years and (ii) 12 months;
	(3)  what projections his Department has made of the amounts of revenue that would be raised annually from  (a) road fuel duty and  (b) VAT on road fuel if the price of oil was (i) 120, (ii) 130, (iii) 140 and (iv) 150 US dollars per barrel;

Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs does not collect data on VAT from individual goods and services.
	Annual estimates of the percentage of disposable household income accounted for by road fuels and duty and VAT payable on road fuels can be calculated from data held in the House of Commons Library. Data on average household income and expenditure are available from the Expenditure and Food Survey, published by the Office for National Statistics. Data on average road fuel prices per litre and average duty rates are contained in the "Tax Benefit Reference Manual". Data are not available on a monthly basis.
	No projections of revenues at hypothetical levels of oil price have been made.

Valuation Office: Databases

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what use the Valuation Office Agency's District Valuer Services makes of dwelling house coding for domestic properties.

Jane Kennedy: District Valuer Services makes use of dwelling house codes to assist in the valuation of domestic property, and analysis of transaction information.

Valuation Office: ICT

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Valuation Office Agency is the custodian of Valuebill.

Jane Kennedy: Yes.

Valuation Office: Rightmove

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contracts have been awarded to Rightmove.co.uk plc by  (a) the Valuation Office Agency and  (b) HM Revenue and Customs and its predecessor on behalf of the Valuation Office Agency since 2001; at what cost; and for what purpose.

Jane Kennedy: One such contract has been awarded, a copy of which has been placed in the Library following a request from the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), answered on 10 September 2007,  Official Report, column 1969W.

Valuation: ICT

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2008,  Official Report, column 508W, on valuation: ICT, how many localities are allocated to each billing authority area.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Working Tax Credit

Maria Miller: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of those claiming the child care element of working tax credit have been reported as not using formal child care in each year for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: This information is not held in the format requested. However, I refer the hon. Member to the Child and Working Tax Credit Error and Fraud Statistics available on HMRC's website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/error-fraud.htm

DEFENCE

Air Force: Labour Turnover

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have  (a) joined and  (b) left the Royal Air Force since 2005.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is reported in TSP1—Strength, Intake and Outflow of UK Regular Forces, and TSP4—Quarterly Manning Report, which provide a full and detailed breakdown of the figures requested. Copies of these are available in the Library of the House. These publications are also available on the Defence Analytical Services and Advice website at:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/tsp1/gender.html
	and
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/tsp4/commentary.html

Air Force: Training

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of training a new Royal Air Force recruit to the level of a fully operational fighter pilot.

Bob Ainsworth: Royal Air Force pilots continue to train throughout their careers and are considered to be combat ready after they have completed Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) training and a period of post OCU training on an allocated squadron. Costs of this training are shown in the following table by fast jet type.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Aircraft  Cost of training a pilot up to Operational Conversion Unit  Cost of training a pilot in OCU and post OCU to combat ready status  Total 
			 Harrier 3.1 7.51 10.61 
			 Tornado F3 3.1 4.04 7. 14 
			 Tornado GR4 3.1 3.59 6.69 
			 Typhoon 3.1 9.22 12.32

Armed Forces: Cadets

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cadet forces were disbanded in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The MOD sponsors four cadet forces: the Combined Cadet Force; the Sea Cadet Corps; the Army Cadet Force and the Air Training Corps. All four cadet forces have a long history and none have been disbanded.
	Individual contingents/units/detachments/squadrons within each cadet force are formed and disbanded as the particular demands and aspirations of the communities they serve fluctuate. Information has not previously been held centrally. However, since 2007 the net change in cadet units is:
	Combined Cadet Force—net gain 18 contingents.
	Sea Cadet Corps—net loss nine units.
	Army Cadet Force—net gain 22 detachments.
	Air Training Corps—net gain two squadrons.

Armed Forces: Drugs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British service personnel were dishonourably discharged for drug abuse in each of the last five years.

Bob Ainsworth: The following number of British servicemen have been discharged 'Services No Longer Required', which is a dishonourable discharge, in each of the last five years for failing compulsory drug testing.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003 476 
			 2004 492 
			 2005 632 
			 2006 669 
			 2007 665

Armed Forces: Insurance

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 21 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1645W, on armed forces: insurance, for what reasons Territorial Army personnel are treated differently from the Regular Army for insurance cover while on deployment; and for what reasons the company Abacus refuses Territorial Army personnel cover during deployments.

Bob Ainsworth: As I explained in my answer of 21 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1645W, MOD facilitates the PAX, RPAX and Service Life insurance (SLI) schemes by means of contracts with the commercial providers. The cover for SLI is the same for TA as for regulars and that for RPAX will replicate the PAX cover in the near future. I understand that my hon. Friend the Under Secretary of State will be writing soon, in response to an issue you raised during the recent debate on the commemorations of the 100(th) anniversary of the Territorial Army, to explain that the premiums for SLI are the same for the TA as for regulars and that RPAX will remain cheaper than PAX even when the premium increase has been applied.
	PAX and RPAX have different insurers but the same brokers. They are intended to run in parallel with the same cover, but with RPAX premiums slightly cheaper. It was decided to implement the PAX changes first because PAX is the larger scheme.
	In addition to PAX RPAX and SLI there are a number of private insurance schemes available to Service personnel which MOD does not facilitate; the scheme provided by Abacus is one of these. We do not have contracts with the providers of these schemes and are unable to comment on the cover which they provide.

Armed Forces: Pay

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the  (a) number and  (b) value of (i) under-payments and (ii) over-payments to service personnel in each month between January and November 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support to the noble Lord, Lord Selkirk of Douglas, in another place,  Official Report, columns WA2-4.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Michael Mates: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many forces widows were in receipt of a pension from the Armed Forces Pension Scheme at the latest date for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: The number of widows, widowers and surviving partners in receipt of a pension from the Armed Forces Pension Scheme as at 1 January 2008 is 63,496.

Armed Forces: Personnel Management

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many hours of Joint Personnel Administration training are required before personnel become qualified;
	(2)  how many people in his Department were trained in Joint Personnel Administration in each year since 2005;
	(3)  how much his Department spent on Joint Personnel Administration training in each year since 2005.

Derek Twigg: The amount of training required varies according to the individual or their role. All self-service users complete a mandatory three hour e-learning Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) training package, whereas a Human Resources (HR) administrator will receive at least 80 hours of training, with additional training given as they progress through the ranks or are assigned to different roles. Other administrators complete training of a type and length appropriate to their role.
	To date, some 201,300 self-service users have undertaken the e-learning JPA training package. The number of HR administrators who have completed training in each financial year since 2005 are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of personnel trained 
			 2005-06 1,219 
			 2006-07 7,072 
			 2007-08 1,054 
			  Note: The high number of HR administrators trained during financial year 2006-07 was due to 6,835 Army HR administrators being trained in readiness for the roll out of JPA to the Army in March 2007. 
		
	
	The cost of JPA training in each year since 2005 is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Prisoners

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British service personnel were serving sentences in military prisons, at the latest date for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: As at 1 May, there were 145 British service personnel serving sentences at the Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester.
	The Military Corrective Training Centre is not a prison. It is a military unit established for military corrective training. The majority of detainees are not sentenced for criminal offences, and return to their military duties on release; for example, a soldier would be sent there as a punishment for going absent without leave.

Armed Forces: Resignations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel left  (a) the Army,  (b) the Navy and  (c) the Royal Air Force prematurely in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Ainsworth: Voluntary outflow figures for the services in each of the last 10 years can be found in Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 5—Trained Outflow to Civil Life. Monthly figures show the number of personnel who have outflowed in the previous 12 month period. TSP 5 is published monthly. The most recent publication presents outflow for the 12 months to 29 February 2008 and can be found at http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/tsp5/tsp5tab5.html. Copies of TSP 5 are available in the Library of the House and also at
	www.dasa.mod.uk.

Armed Forces: Training

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2008,  Official Report, column 55W, on the armed forces: training, how many  (a) crew personnel,  (b) pilots and  (c) each type of aircraft participated in Arctic flying training during the winter training period of 2007.

Bob Ainsworth: 48 pilots and 10 other aircrew personnel took part in Arctic flying training, during the winter training period of 2007. The number and type of aircraft which also participated are shown as follows:
	
		
			  Number  Type 
			 5 Sea King Mk 4 
			 3 Lynx Mk 7 
			 2 Gazelle 
			 3 Puma HCl

Army: Officers

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the actual strength of Army officers of each rank is; and if he will make a statement on the position and retention of captains.

Bob Ainsworth: The Army officers' strength as at 1 March 2008 is provided as follows:
	
		
			  Army Officers strength according to paid rank at 1 March 2008 ( 1) 
			   Number 
			 Major General to General 60 
			 Brigadier 180 
			 Colonel 580 
			 Lieutenant Colonel 1,750 
			 Major 4,710 
			 Captain 4,690 
			 Second Lieutenant and Lieutenant 1,710 
			 (1) All figures are provisional and are rounded in accordance with Defence Analytical Services and Advice conventions. Figures are for trained regular strengths only and therefore exclude Full Time Reserve Service, Gurkhas and Home Service Personnel of the Royal Irish Regiment. 
		
	
	Since 2004 there has been an increase in the number of Army Captains seeking Voluntary Outflow (VO) from service but the total number in service has actually increased, resulting in a reduction of the deficit against requirement.
	The Army continues to monitor VO carefully, and is looking at a number of positive measures to improve retention and further reduce the deficit of captains. These include examination of the officer career management structure and conditions of service, and the commissioning of a greater number of officers both from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and from the non-commissioned ranks.

Departmental Energy

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to reduce its energy consumption in the last 12 months; and what his Department's expenditure on energy was in  (a) the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available and  (b) the immediately preceding 12 months.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has made significant progress over the past 12 months in reducing energy consumption by taking such steps as improving building energy management and energy efficiency; installing more energy efficient lighting, automated metering and biomass boilers; focussing resources on the top 220 energy consuming defence sites; conducting audits; improving data management; making central funds available for energy efficiency/carbon emissions reduction projects; and embedding pro-rata energy efficiency targets into Service Delivery Agreement between MOD the Under-Secretary and the Department's management areas.
	The Department has published figures for utilities expenditure since 2000. The figure for 2006-07 and 2005-06 have been published in the Department's accounts and are the latest figures available. The figures are:
	
		
			  Utilities  Financial year 2006-07 (£000) 
			 Heating oil 33,335 
			 Utilities consumption—USF 2,781 
			 Gas 92,244 
			 Electricity 170,459 
			 Water and sewage 20,772 
			 Total 319,591 
		
	
	
		
			  Utilities  Financial year 2005-06 (£000) 
			 Heating oil 30,913 
			 Utilities consumption—USF 3,132 
			 Gas 100,151 
			 Electricity 141,186 
			 Water and sewage 15,965 
			 Total 291,347

Departmental Written Questions

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many days it took on average to answer written parliamentary questions tabled by each hon. Member for answer by him in the last six months.

Derek Twigg: The information is not available in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, the following tables shows the number of ordinary written questions answered within five working and named day questions answered on the named day since October 2007.
	
		
			  Ordinary written questions 
			  Month  Received  Answered within five working days  Percentage 
			 October 2007 371 180 49 
			 November 2007 373 139 37 
			 December 2007 419 79 19 
			 January 2008 353 141 40 
			 February 2008 264 132 50 
			 March 2008 374 162 43 
		
	
	
		
			  Named day questions 
			  Month  Received  Answered on or before the named day  Percentage 
			 October 2007 77 23 30 
			 November 2007 54 24 44 
			 December 2007 53 17 32 
			 January 2008 74 31 42 
			 February 2008 48 26 54 
			 March 2008 75 39 52 
		
	
	
		
			  Total 
			  Month  Received  Answered within five working days or on or before the named day  Percentage 
			 October 2007 448 203 45 
			 November 2007 427 163 38 
			 December 2007 472 96 20 
			 January 2008 427 172 40 
			 February 2008 312 158 51 
			 March 2008 449 201 44

Ex-servicemen: Unemployed

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of former service personnel who were unemployed in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence does not collect statistics in such a form as to be able to make an estimate of the number of former service personnel who were unemployed in each year since 1997. Data do however show that 94 per cent. of service leavers looking for careers after service life are in employment six months after discharge.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel completed the Northern Ireland Surveillance Course as part of their predeployment training for deployment to  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in each year since 2003.

Bob Ainsworth: No service personnel have completed the Northern Ireland (NI) Surveillance Course as part of their predeployment training for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. This course ceased to run in December 2006.
	The Operational Training and Advisory Group runs a Static Covert Surveillance (SCS) Course which was developed from the NI Surveillance Course and has been adapted to meet the specific requirements of each operational theatre.
	The Iraq SCS course was first delivered in January 2005 and as at 1 May 2008 a total of 630 soldiers have completed this training prior to deployment to Iraq. The Afghanistan SCS course was first delivered in March 2007 and 305 soldiers will have completed this training by the end of the current training year on 31 March 2009.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British service personnel have been court martialled for offences relating to the treatment of civilians and prisoners in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan since 2001.

Bob Ainsworth: 28 service personnel have been court-martialled for offences relating to the treatment of civilians and prisoners in Iraq.
	No service personnel have been court-martialled for offences relating to the treatment of civilians and prisoners in Afghanistan.

Kosovo: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the UK's commitment for NATO's Operational Reserve Force to arrive in Kosovo.

Bob Ainsworth: It is planned that the UK's commitment for the NATO Operational Reserve Force will be present in Kosovo and ready to begin its mission no later than 31 May 2008.

Kosovo: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what vehicles he expects British forces to use while serving as NATO's Operational Reserve Force in Kosovo.

Bob Ainsworth: The vehicles to be used by British forces serving as NATO's Operational Reserve Force in Kosovo include Snatch armoured Land Rovers, standard Land Rovers, Saxon personnel carriers, 4-ton trucks, battlefield ambulances and various engineering vehicles.

Kosovo: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral answer of 28 April 2008,  Official Report, column 16, on what date his Department  (a) began and  (b) completed pre-positioning equipment for the UK's commitment for NATO's Operational Reserve Force in Kosovo.

Bob Ainsworth: The pre-positioning of equipment in Kosovo for potential use by the UK troops operating as the NATO Operational Reserve Force began in early November 2007. The transportation of equipment will be completed by 31 May 2008, the date when the UK Battalion is due to be in Kosovo ready to begin its task.

Kosovo: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral answer of 28 April 2008,  Official Report, column 16, what equipment has been pre-positioned in Kosovo for the UK's commitment to NATO's Operational Reserve Force.

Bob Ainsworth: As of 30 April 2008, equipment that has been pre-positioned in Kosovo includes Snatch Land Rovers, standard Land Rovers, Saxon personnel carriers, 4-ton trucks, engineering equipment, vehicle spares, ammunition, food, riot control equipment (including shields and batons) and fuel.

Kosovo: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral answer of 28 April 2008,  Official Report, column 16, how many  (a) C-17 Globemaster,  (b) C-130K Hercules,  (c) C-130J Hercules,  (d) Tristar and  (e) VC-10 aircraft sorties were flown to pre-position the equipment required for the UK's commitment to NATO's Operational Reserve Force in Kosovo.

Bob Ainsworth: Two sorties were flown by C-130J Hercules in order to deliver ammunition. The C-17 Globemaster, C-130K Hercules, Tristar and VC-10 have not to date been used to pre-position equipment.

Kosovo: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral answer of 28 April 2008,  Official Report, column 16, what estimate he has made of  (a) the number of troops which can be sustained by the pre-positioned equipment provided for NATO's Operational Reserve Force and  (b) the length of time UK forces can be sustained with the equipment.

Bob Ainsworth: It is planned that the battalion assigned to the NATO Operational Reserve Force (approximately 600 troops) will be sustainable for 30 days from the date its mission in Kosovo begins. This is in accordance with the requirements of the NATO Operational Reserve Force high readiness commitment.

Kosovo: Peacekeeping Operations

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he was first informed that NATO would make a request for the UK to deploy a high readiness battalion to Kosovo; and when the request was formally received by his Department.

Bob Ainsworth: This commitment began on 1 January 2008. Since then, Ministers have been kept informed of discussions between the UK and NATO on this subject. The Department received a formal request from NATO for the deployment of the UK element of the operational reserve force on 7 April 2008. I said in the House on 28 April 2008,  Official Report, column 15 that we were responding to the request imminently. An announcement was subsequently made to Parliament on 29 April 2008 and a formal reply to NATO made on 2 May 2008.

Meteorological Office: Politics International

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what payments the Met Office has made to Politics International Ltd. in each of the last five years; on what dates; and for what purpose the payments were made in each case.

Derek Twigg: The Met Office has made the following payments to Politics International Ltd in each of the last five years:
	
		
			  2004  £ 
			 14 July 6,000.00 
			 28 July 425.54 
			 6 October 19.00 
			 3 November 5,000.00 
			 17 November 608.14 
			   
			  2005  
			 28 January 1,941.86 
			 24 August 4,300.00 
			 28 September 3,750.00 
			 26 October 7,250.00 
			 30 November 3,750.00 
			 14 December 1,177.30 
			 21 December 3,750.00 
			   
			  2006  
			 25 January 3,750.00 
			 17 March 3,750.00 
			 7 April 3,750.00 
			 26 April 3,750.00 
			 17 May 15.00 
			 24 May 5,150.00 
			 28 June 9,700.00 
			 26 July 3,750.00 
			 28 July 585.85 
			 30 August 3,750.00 
			 28 September 3,750.00 
			 25 October 3,750.00 
			 24 November 3,750.00 
			   
			  2007  
			 5 January 4,875.09 
			 24 January 3,750.00 
			 28 February 3,750.00 
			 28 March 7,595.45 
			 25 April 3,807.17 
			 25 May 3,750.00 
			 27 June 6,710.21 
			 28 September 10,252.06 
			 10 October 3,220.92 
			 24 October 12,214.52 
			 28 November 800.00 
			   
			  2008  
			 11 January 3,642.85 
			 30 January 8,793.80 
			 26 March 1,170.00 
		
	
	These payments relate to training for Met Office witnesses appearing before Select Committees; training for Met Office staff in stakeholder management; assistance with the development and strengthening of relationships with key stakeholders; and support for Met Office participation in stakeholder events relating to meteorology and climate science.

Military Decorations

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to amend the criteria for the award of the General Service Medal; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: There are currently no plans to amend the criteria for the award of the GSM 1962.

Navy: Labour Turnover

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have  (a) joined and  (b) left the Royal Navy since 2005.

Bob Ainsworth: The number of personnel joining the Royal Naval Service since 2005 can be found in Table 3 of Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 1 - Strength, Intake and Outflow of UK Regular Forces. The number of personnel leaving the Royal Naval Service since 2005 can be found in Table 4 of the same publication. TSP 1 is published monthly. The most recent publication shows figures for data from 1 April 2003 to 1 March 2008 and can be found at
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/tsp1/intake.html
	for Table 3 and for Table 4
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/tspl/outflow.html
	Copies of TSP 1 are available in the Library of the House and also at
	www.dasa.mod.uk

Prince William

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 887-88W, on His Royal Highness Prince William, if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of training His Royal Highness Prince William as a pilot.

Bob Ainsworth: No specific calculation has been made of the individual cost of HRH Prince William's flying training. However it is unlikely to exceed that of equivalent training undertaken by other trainees, given that basic flight training covers a series of set elements.
	The cost of providing basic flying training for the RAF is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  RAF flight training costs 
			  Activity  Aircraft type  Cost (£000) at 2007-08 prices 
			 Elementary Flying Training Tutor 19.4 
			 Basic Fast Jet Training Tucano 93.5 
			 Basic Rotary Wing Training Squirrel 49.4 
			 Total  162.3

Reserve Forces: Manpower

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people there are in the Volunteer Reserve Forces; and what proportion of them have seen active service in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

Bob Ainsworth: The latest manning figures for the Volunteer Reserves (VRs) are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Royal Naval Reserve 2,220 
			 Royal Marine Reserve 820 
			 Territorial Army 30,000 
			 Royal Auxiliary Air Force 1,280 
			  Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10 
		
	
	The overall proportion of VRs who have seen active service in Iraq or Afghanistan is not available, and the steady turnover of the Reserves would render such a figure relatively meaningless, but over 17,000 VRs have been mobilised in support of operations since 2003.
	Since 2006, over 2,160 VRs have served in Iraq, and over 2,010 in Afghanistan.

Royal Military Academy

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst was in each of the last three years.

Bob Ainsworth: The cost to the public purse of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for the last three financial years for which validated figures are available is:
	
		
			  Financial year  Cost (£ million) 
			 2004-05 47,041 
			 2005-06 45,268 
			 2006-07 47,065

Territorial Army: Officers

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army officers there were in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The data provided have been extracted from Tri-Service Publication 7; the following table shows the strengths of Territorial Army officers as at 1 April 1997 to 2007.
	
		
			   Officer strength 
			 1997 6,130 
			 1998 6,240 
			 1999 6,250 
			 2000 5,890 
			 2001 5,380 
			 2002 5,700 
			 2003 5,740 
			 2004 5,630 
			 2005 5,550 
			 2006 5,400 
			 2007(1) 5,150 
			 (1) 2007 data are as at 1 March. Due to the ongoing validation of the new Joint Personnel Administration System Territorial Army Officer data from April 2007 are currently unavailable.  Notes: 1. Officer figures from April 1998 to April 2004 are provisional estimates which include Full Time Reserve Service Personnel. 2. TA Officers include Group A and B, Mobilised TA, and excludes Non-Regular Permanent Staff (from 1998) and Full Time Reserve Service. 3. Data have been rounded to the nearest ten for statistical analysis and presentation purposes only. 4. Numbers ending in five have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to avoid systematic bias.

Territorial Army: Officers

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers in the Territorial Army qualified for their annual bounty in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Weather: Forecasts

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the accuracy of weather forecasts provided by the Meteorological Office in respect of each region of the UK; and what plans he has to improve the accuracy of such forecasts.

Derek Twigg: The accuracy of weather forecasts provided by the Met Office is assessed through its performance in achieving its forecast accuracy key performance target (KPT). The KPT includes elements that measure the accuracy of forecasts for precipitation and maximum and minimum temperatures for 11 locations throughout the UK. The annual targets for these elements, which are agreed by me and laid before Parliament, have been met in each year since they were introduced in 2005.
	Performance against the KPT is reflective of the continuous improvement in forecast accuracy made by the Met Office over the last twenty years. Today's forecasts for three days ahead are more accurate than forecasts for one day ahead 20 years ago.
	The government provides the Met Office with significant funding to support its activities. MOD, for example, is planning to invest £30 million in new, state-of-the-art super-computers. While investment in supercomputing is not the only factor in improving the accuracy of weather forecasts, it is significant as it underpins, amongst other things, the production of more accurate local-scale forecasts.
	Through increased supercomputing capability, the Met Office expects to make further substantial improvements in forecast accuracy over the coming years.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Crimes of Violence

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many crimes of violence against a person there were in each constituency in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years; and what each figure represents per thousand of the population.

Paul Goggins: Tackling serious violent crime is a priority for the Government. Both the NIO's public service agreement to "Make Communities Safer" and this year's Policing Plan contain targets aimed at reducing the level of these kinds of offences.
	The Chief Constable has provided the following information:
	"The three tables below reflect the number of violent crimes by offence and rates per 1000 population".
	
		
			  Violent crime by parliamentary constituency, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 and rates per 1,000 population 
			   2004-05   2004-05 rate per 1,000 population 
			   Offences against the person  Sexual offences  Robbery  Total violent crime  2004 mid-year population estimate  Offences against the person  Sexual offences  Robbery  Total violent crime 
			 Belfast East 1,152 77 96 1,325 77,732 14.8 1.0 1.2 17.0 
			 Belfast North 2,230 232 171 2,633 82,406 27.1 2.8 2.1 32.0 
			 Belfast South 2,481 306 158 2,945 92,834 26.7 3.3 1.7 31.7 
			 Belfast West 2,257 190 107 2,554 85,706 26.3 2.2 1.2 29.8 
			 East Antrim 1,014 38 82 1,134 85,292 11.9 0.4 1.0 13.3 
			 East Londonderry 1,879 43 97 2,019 90,540 20.8 0.5 1.1 22.3 
			 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1,034 22 73 1,129 93,885 11.0 0.2 0.8 12.0 
			 Foyle 2,222 68 142 2,432 106,889 20.8 0.6 1.3 22.8 
			 Lagan Valley 1,586 79 83 1,748 104,604 15.2 0.8 0.8 16.7 
			 Mid Ulster 1,200 13 52 1,265 89,657 13.4 0.1 0.6 14.1 
			 Newry and Armagh 1,465 56 71 1,592 102,957 14.2 0.5 0.7 15.5 
			 North Antrim 1,724 54 91 1,869 104,710 16.5 0.5 0.9 17.8 
			 North Down 1,174 52 53 1,279 87,431 13.4 0.6 0.6 14.6 
			 South Antrim 1,483 88 86 1,657 101,939 14.5 0.9 0.8 16.3 
			 South Down 1,362 32 67 1,461 109,232 12.5 0.3 0.6 13.4 
			 Strangford 1,123 54 54 1,231 99,588 11.3 0.5 0.5 12.4 
			 Upper Bann 2,243 55 81 2,379 106,173 21.1 0.5 0.8 22.4 
			 West Tyrone 1,591 20 78 1,689 88,747 17.9 0.2 0.9 19.0 
			 Unknown(1) 119 8 44 171 — — — — — 
			 Total 29,339 1,487 1,686 32,512 1,710,322 17.2 0.9 1.0 19.0 
		
	
	
		
			   2005-06   2005-06 rate per 1,000 population 
			   Offences against the person  Sexual offences  Robbery  Total violent crime  2005 mid-year population estimate  Offences against the person  Sexual offences  Robbery  Total violent crime 
			 Belfast East 1,200 90 92 1,382 77,583 15.5 1.2 1.2 17.8 
			 Belfast North 2,525 365 99 2,989 81,736 30.9 4.5 1.2 36.6 
			 Belfast South 2,788 292 150 3,230 92,818 30.0 3.1 1.6 34.8 
			 Belfast West 2,405 267 81 2,753 85,028 28.3 3.1 1.0 32.4 
			 East Antrim 1,178 55 40 1,273 85,878 13.7 0.6 0.5 14.8 
			 East Londonderry 2,066 36 123 2,225 90,712 22.8 0.4 1.4 24.5 
			 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1,289 26 53 1,368 95,402 13.5 0.3 0.6 14.3 
			 Foyle 2,330 70 164 2,564 107,296 21.7 0.7 1.5 23.9 
			 Lagan Valley 1,624 87 97 1,808 106,450 15.3 0.8 0.9 17.0 
			 Mid Ulster 1,234 26 66 1,326 90,978 13.6 0.3 0.7 14.6 
			 Newry and Armagh 1,497 51 66 1,614 104,482 14.3 0.5 0.6 15.4 
			 North Antrim 1,640 50 109 1,799 105,983 15.5 0.5 1.0 17.0 
			 North Down 1,234 49 88 1,371 88,199 14.0 0.6 1.0 15.5 
			 South Antrim 1,480 93 92 1,665 103,260 14.3 0.9 0.9 16.1 
			 South Down 1,576 30 76 1,682 110,692 14.2 0.3 0.7 15.2 
			 Strangford 1,147 43 76 1,266 100,325 11.4 0.4 0.8 12.6 
			 Upper Bann 2,099 76 97 2,272 108,111 19.4 0.7 0.9 21.0 
			 West Tyrone 1,506 25 78 1,609 89,475 16.8 0.3 0.9 18.0 
			 Unknown(1) 135 13 64 212 — — — — — 
			 Total 30,953 1,744 1,711 34,408 1,724,408 17.9 1.0 1.0 20.0 
		
	
	
		
			   2006-07   2006-07 rate per 1,000 population 
			   Offences against the person  Sexual offences  Robbery  Total violent crime  2006 mid-year population estimate  Offences against the person  Sexual offences  Robbery  Total violent crime 
			 Belfast East 1,189 89 77 1,355 77,583 15.3 1.1 1.0 17.5 
			 Belfast North 2,649 283 123 3,055 81,736 32.4 3.5 1.5 37.4 
			 Belfast South 3,103 308 176 3,587 92,818 33.4 3.3 1.9 38.6 
			 Belfast West 2,380 246 112 2,738 85,028 28.0 2.9 1.3 32.2 
			 East Antrim 1,135 37 78 1,250 85,878 13.2 0.4 0.9 14.6 
			 East Londonderry 2,237 36 125 2,398 90,712 24.7 0.4 1.4 26.4 
			 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1,271 27 83 1,381 95,402 13.3 0.3 0.9 14.5 
			 Foyle 2,449 79 175 2,703 107,296 22.8 0.7 1.6 25.2 
			 Lagan Valley 1,527 66 82 1,675 106,450 14.3 0.6 0.8 15.7 
			 Mid Ulster 1,231 15 71 1,317 90,978 13.5 0.2 0.8 14.5 
			 Newry and Armagh 1,530 80 73 1,683 104,482 14.6 0.8 0.7 16.1 
			 North Antrim 1,611 52 105 1,768 105,983 15.2 0.5 1.0 16.7 
			 North Down 1,346 37 69 1,452 88,199 15.3 0.4 0.8 16.5 
			 South Antrim 1,541 62 81 1,684 103,260 14.9 0.6 0.8 16.3 
			 South Down 1,535 37 67 1,639 110,692 13.9 0.3 0.6 14.8 
			 Strangford 1,240 29 62 1,331 100,325 12.4 0.3 0.6 13.3 
			 Upper Bann 2,112 61 84 2,257 108,111 19.5 0.6 0.8 20.9 
			 West Tyrone 1,610 25 102 1,737 89,475 18.0 0.3 1.1 19.4 
			 Unknown(1) 150 5 58 213 — — — — — 
			 Total 31,846 1,574 1,803 35,223 1,724,408 18.5 0.9 1.0 20.4 
			 (1) Offences are allocated to parliamentary constituencies via occurrence address postcode information. In some cases the postcode information is of poor quality and therefore cannot be allocated to a parliamentary constituency.  Source: Central Statistics Unit, PSNI

Departmental Marketing

Greg Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on publicity and advertising in 2007-08.

Shaun Woodward: The Department (excluding its agencies and Executive NDPBs) has spent £477,176.88 on publicity and advertising in 2007-08.

Departmental Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what  (a) surveys,  (b) questionnaires and  (c) other services were provided by polling companies for his Department in financial year 2007-08, broken down by company.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office and its Executive agencies conducted the following during the financial year 2007-08:
	One survey using Millward Brown Ulster;
	One survey and nine focus groups using SMR (Social and Market Research); and
	One survey and three modules of a survey using NI Statistics and Research Agency.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Parliament: Carbon Emissions

Justine Greening: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate the Commission has made of the Parliamentary Estate's carbon footprint in 2006-07.

Nick Harvey: The amount of absolute carbon being released into the atmosphere as a result of gas and electricity consumption on the Parliamentary Estate during 2006-07 was 4,015 tonnes. This figure was calculated from the monthly energy meter readings, with 10 per cent. of electricity consumption between April 2006 and January 2007 and 100 per cent. of electricity consumption between February and March 2007 derived from renewable sources.
	The carbon emissions resulting from transportation have not been calculated so the direct/primary carbon footprint cannot be determined. The indirect/secondary carbon footprint cannot yet be determined either.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Clarence Mitchell

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Mr. Clarence Mitchell was seconded by his Department to act as an official spokesperson for the family of Madeleine McCann.

Jim Murphy: Clarence Mitchell was seconded to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, from the Central Office of Information (COI), for a period of 25 days in May 2007 to provide assistance with the media to the family of Madeleine McCann. He resigned from the COI in September 2007.

Departmental Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent estimate is of the unfunded liability in present value terms of each public sector pension scheme for which his Department is responsible; and on what assumptions for  (a) discount and  (b) longevity the estimate is based.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not have responsibility for a departmental pension scheme. UK civil servants employed by the FCO belong to the central Principal Civil Service Pensions Scheme (PCSPS). The PCSPS publishes details of its unfunded liability in its annual resource accounts, copies of which are placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the unfunded liability in present value terms was of each public sector pension scheme for which his Department is responsible in each year since 1990-91.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not have responsibility for a departmental pension scheme. UK civil servants employed by the FCO are members of the central Principal Civil Service Pensions Scheme (PCSPS). The PCSPS has published details of unfunded liabilities in present value terms in its annual resource accounts since 2000-2001. Because the assumptions underlying estimates of unfunded liabilities, for example life expectancy, vary, they are not directly comparable from year to year.

Departmental Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the  (a) rate and  (b) cost was of employer contributions for each public sector pension scheme for which his Department has responsibility in each year since 1990-91; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: UK civil servants employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Schemes (PCSPS). The PCSPS has published details of employer contributions in its annual resource accounts every year since 2000-01. Copies of the PCSPS accounts are held in the Library of the House.

Departmental Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the effect on his Department's expenditure would be of increasing the employee contribution to each pension scheme for which his Department is responsible by 1 per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: If the Principal Civil Service Pensions Scheme were to raise the level of employee contributions to each of its schemes by 1 per cent. of salary, this would generate additional contributions equivalent to 4 per cent. of the total employer contributions made by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the schemes. In theory therefore it might permit a 4 per cent. reduction in the Department's expenditure on pension contributions.

Departmental Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cash equivalent transfer value is of the public sector pensions of the 10 highest paid members of staff in his Department and its executive agencies; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The total cash equivalent transfer value of the public sector—Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme—pensions of the 10 staff with the highest salaries in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and its Executive Agencies, at 31 March 2008 was £11,795,588.
	The FCO discloses the cash equivalent transfer value of the pensions of each executive member of the FCO Board of Management in the remuneration report contained in the Department's annual resource accounts.

Diego Garcia: Detainees

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2008,  Official Report, column 1188W, on Diego Garcia: detainees, what steps he has taken in response to the allegations received by his Department concerning US ships; whether those allegations related to  (a) the USS Bataan and  (b) the USNS Stockholm; and what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on this matter.

Kim Howells: Our officials continue to work with their US counterparts on the details and implications of the new information passed to us on 15 February regarding two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia in 2002. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary wrote to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, further to his statement to the House of 21 February, to request clarification on a number of specific issues.
	I can confirm that we are aware of non-governmental organisations' allegations relating to the USS Bataan and the USNS Stockholm.

Ethiopia: Qatar

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the political implications of Ethiopia breaking off diplomatic relations with Qatar.

Kim Howells: We do not assess there to be any significant political implications flowing from this action that will affect UK interests.

Gaza

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what international status the Government ascribes to the Gaza Strip.

Kim Howells: The Government continue to regard the Gaza Strip as occupied Palestinian territory.

Members: Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to respond to the letter of 25 March 2008 from the right hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding a constituent, Mr. Blackwood of Fraserburgh.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied to the right hon. Member on 28 April.

Nuclear Disarmament

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps have been taken by the Government towards nuclear disarmament under the terms of Article 6 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Kim Howells: The UK is strongly committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and we are fulfilling all of our Treaty obligations, including those on disarmament under Article VI. We have reduced our nuclear platform to one delivery system, Trident, and have significantly reduced the operational status of that system. We have recently met our commitment to a further 20 per cent. reduction in the stockpile of operationally available warheads, contributing to a 75 per cent. reduction in the explosive power of the UK nuclear arsenal since the end of the Cold War.
	In addition the UK is pursuing a programme to develop expertise in verifying the reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons internationally. The aim of the study has been to examine and trial potential methodologies which could be used in a future multilateral nuclear disarmament regime. This work is continuing at the Atomic Weapons Establishment and will be presented to the 2008 NPT Preparatory Committee in Geneva.

Rendition

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the permissions system that operates on rendition flights through the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We would consider all the circumstances of a request for rendition through the UK or our overseas Territories and we would only grant permission if we were satisfied that it would accord with our domestic law and international obligations.
	We continue to keep procedures under review to ensure that they meet the standards that we have set. Our officials are currently looking at the proposals of the all party parliamentary group on extraordinary rendition in light of the two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia in 2002. Once we have established more of the details and implications of these renditions we will take a decision on whether these proposals are necessary.

Somalia: Armed Conflict

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Ethiopian counterparts on the recent violence in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with his Ethiopian counterparts on the recent violence in Mogadishu.
	However, our ambassador in Addis Ababa raised the recent violence in Somalia at senior levels of the Ethiopian Government. Our officials in London and at the UN have also raised this issue with their Ethiopian counterparts.
	The Government maintains close contact with Ethiopia on Somalia and we continue to urge Ethiopian forces to show restraint, proportionality and respect for the local population in Somalia.
	We are working with Ethiopia and our international partners to find a way for Ethiopia to withdraw as soon as possible, as Ethiopia has said is its intention, without allowing a security vacuum to emerge.

Somalia: Armed Conflict

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Ethiopian counterparts about the conduct of Ethiopian troops in Somalia; and what steps he is taking to support respect for human rights in Somalia.

Kim Howells: My noble Friend the Lord Malloch-Brown raised the issue of human rights in Somalia with the Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in late January.
	Our ambassador in Addis Ababa has raised respect for human rights in Somalia at senior levels of the Ethiopian government. Our officials in London and at the UN have also raised this issue with their Ethiopian counterparts.
	The Government maintain close contact with Ethiopia on Somalia and we continue to urge Ethiopian forces to show restraint, proportionality and respect for the local population in Somalia.
	The UK continually insists that human rights are fully respected by all parties in Somalia and has joined its international partners in clearly saying so in UN Security Council Resolutions, Communiqués of the Somalia International Contact Group and Resolutions of the UN Human Rights Council.
	Insecurity in Somalia means that monitoring human rights and gathering reliable information is very difficult. However, if breaches of international human rights law are proved then we will condemn them unreservedly and expect those responsible to be held to account.

Somalia: Children

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to uphold the rights of children in captivity in Somalia.

Kim Howells: The Government are committed to improving children's rights through access to education. In this respect, the Department for International Development (DFID) is already actively engaged in the education sector in Somalia.
	The UK is committed to playing an active role in the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, which includes a focus on children detained for alleged association with armed groups in violation of international standards. Somalia is one of the 18 situations of concern listed by the UN Secretary-General in his Seventh Report to the Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict. The work plans for this year include producing country reports and adopting conclusions on several countries including Somalia.
	In recent years, the Government have funded the distribution of school textbooks through the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the establishment of an examination system in Somaliland with the Africa Educational Trust, as well as supporting basic primary education needs in the Hiraan region through Save the Children-UK. Last year DFID entered into a £6 million education partnership with the UN Children's Fund and UNESCO to strengthen access to basic education in Somalia.

South Africa: Chemical and Biological Warfare

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1707-8W, on South Africa: chemical and biological warfare, whether the investigation conducted into the allegations that UK Government officials and scientists had contact with or knowingly provided assistance to any South African chemical and biological weapons programme or persons involved in Project Coast considered the evidence to the Truth and Justice Commission that Wouter Basson used a house in the home counties of England to meet UK scientists and to circumvent the sanctions regime against South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: holding answer 17 March 2008
	The investigation into allegations that the Government was involved in providing information to personnel connected to South Africa's Chemical and Biological Weapons programme considered information from a variety of sources, including evidence given to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It was the policy of successive Governments from the mid 1970s to have no military cooperation with South Africa. There was no blanket ban on scientific contacts with South Africa during the apartheid period, though they were discouraged if they might contribute to the support or promotion of apartheid.

South Africa: Chemical and Biological Warfare

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1707-8W, on South Africa: chemical and biological warfare, between what dates the full investigations were held into the allegations of UK assistance to Project Coast or other South African chemical and biological weapons programme; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: holding answer 17 March 2008
	UK investigations were initiated in 1998 and continued into 2001, following allegations made during hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that the Government was involved in providing information to personnel connected to South Africa's Project Coast. The investigations were thorough and included the relevant Government bodies. There was no evidence to suggest Government officials knowingly provided assistance to any South African Chemical and Biological Weapons programme.

Zimbabwe: Armed Forces

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government has taken to prevent the Zimbabwean military increasing its arms capacity.

Kim Howells: holding answer 1 May 2008
	We believe that, against a backdrop of increasing tension and state-sponsored violence against civilians, it is quite the wrong time for any arms sales to Zimbabwe. We have therefore, with our EU partners, been actively promoting the need for states to refrain from such sales. We raised this issue at the UN Security Council on 29 April. Our embassy in Beijing has also raised our concerns with the Chinese Government. We hope all states will be able to agree to a moratorium on arms sales to Zimbabwe until a democratic Government is in place.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Conservation Areas

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of conservation areas in England at the latest date for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 1 May, 2008,  Official Report, column 663W, on conservation areas, by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Iain Wright).

Departmental Manpower

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff were employed in his Department in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The table shows the staff in post in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 1 April each year from 1997 to 2008.
	
		
			   Staff in post 
			 1997 352 
			 1998 365 
			 1999 359 
			 2000 407 
			 2001 403 
			 2002 469 
			 2003 488 
			 2004 490 
			 2005 525 
			 2006 523 
			 2007 527 
			 2008 477 
		
	
	Staff in post rose significantly between 1 April 2001 and 1 April 2002 reflecting machinery of government changes and a resulting transfer of staff from the Cabinet Office and Home Office.

Departmental Pay

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his Department spent on wages and salaries in each of the last three years, broken down by departmental division.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department's expenditure on wages and salaries, analysed by divisions, in financial years 2005-06 to 2007-08 is set out in the table. The figures relating to financial year 2007-08 are subject to finalisation of annual accounts.
	During the three years shown, there have been numerous transfers of functions, projects and other pieces of work between divisions. For instance, in 2005-06, Information Systems was part of Human and Business Resources before becoming a division on its own right. It should not, therefore, be inferred that changes in the levels of expenditure necessarily represent shifts in resources to or from a particular function.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Division  2005-06  2006-07 ( 1) 2007-08 
			 Director General Culture, Creativity and Economy 232,266.40 320,452.87 777,946.81 
			 Director : Industry 230,408.17 258,741.79 186,279.64 
			 Creative Industries 827,131.53 838,073.20 735,933.49 
			 Tourism 1,232,875.47 1,243,611.32 1,156,568.64 
			 Gambling and Lottery licensing 629,407.41 684,894.34 752,408.21 
			 Lottery Distribution and Community 640,427.02 630,066.07 393,531.83 
			 Broadcasting Policy 1,558,616.95 1,637,335.35 1,458,822.90 
			 Active Generation n/a 4,710.57 281,512.58 
			 Director General Children and Young People 531,748.97 570,342.63 n/a 
			 Director : Arts and Culture 394,673.34 293,311.14 273,690.44 
			 Arts 797,209.16 860,177.06 864,344.58 
			 Museums and Cultural Property 1,297,224.62 1,283,971.07 1,210,680.85 
			 Government Art Collection 528,176.42 553,565.05 559,204.54 
			 Architecture and the Historic Environment 1,280,254.15 1,325,700.07 1,245,157.18 
			 Humanitarian Assistance n/a 279,343.05 261,491.61 
			 Local, Communities and International 1,011,508.79 725,577.75 707,462.24 
			 Director : Sport 129,449.55 164,799.70 20,646.70 
			 Sport 1,283,894.03 1,365,348.33 1,423,367.20 
			 Director : Olympics 678,034.66 1,687,876.45 2,906,331.71 
			 Director General: Chief Operating Officer 216,288.84 317,803.94 412,009.94 
			 Director : Modernisation 251,274.10 n/a n/a 
			 Public Appointments, Honour and Modernisation 705,331.05 686,517.14 555,710.83 
			 Strategy 1,310,172.09 1,360,607.88 1,167,115.78 
			 Transformation Team n/a n/a 187,302.32 
			 Human and Business Resources 1,601,738.93 1,081,145.88 1,113,099.48 
			 Finance and Planning 695,058.47 686,852.10 734,342.25 
			 Internal Audit 188,877.85 n/a n/a 
			 Secretary of State's office 695,005.24 631,905.14 575,377.02 
			 Minister Tourism. Film and Broadcasting 136,657.95 142,077.99 43,048.58 
			 Minister for Culture 151,929.68 159,151.97 167,169.11 
			 Parliamentary Branch 304,886.21 332,285.32 323,825.05 
			 Permanent Secretary's Office 381,581.32 345,129.25 373,183.91 
			 Minister for Sport 172,679.39 185,090.43 167,971.70 
			 Director : Strategic Communications 145,684.80 134,674.27 138,312.85 
			 News and Communications—Information Centre 101,006.23 85,220.35 63,875.21 
			 News and Communications—Promotion/Publicity 275,054.12 323,126.45 289,907.14 
			 News and Communications—Press Office 579,152.50 827,712.48 769,875.01 
			 Information Systems n/a 717,359.72 724,640.13 
			 Central Information Briefing Unit n/a 436,261.28 489,077.74 
			 Total 21,195,685.41 23,180,819.40 23,511,224.30 
			 (i) (1)2007-08 figures subject to finalisation of annual accounts (ii) All figures include wages, salaries, overtime, special bonus payments and inward secondee costs.

Departmental Public Participation

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of the funding provided to his Department by each of its non-departmental public bodies for  (a) his Department's joint research budget and  (b) the Taking Part survey comes from (i) their departmental allocation and (ii) National Lottery income.

Margaret Hodge: Funding provided to the Department by each of the participating non-departmental public bodies for  (a) the Department's joint research budget and  (b) the Taking Part survey is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2008-09  
			  Body  (a) Joint Research Budget  (b) Taking Part Survey  Total 
			 Arts Council England 0.200 0.300 0.500 
			 English Heritage 0.057 0.080 0.137 
			 Museums, Libraries and Archives Council 0.007 0.080 0.087 
			 Sport England 0.036 0.600 0.636 
		
	
	The proportion which comes from (i) their departmental allocation and (ii) National Lottery income, is as follows:
	
		
			   2008-09 
			   Departmental Allocation (£)  Percentage  National Lottery Funding (£)  Percentage 
			 Arts Council England All — — — 
			 English Heritage All — — — 
			 Museums, Libraries and Archives Council All — — — 
			 Sport England 286,200 45 349,800 44

Departmental Research

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual research budget for  (a) his Department,  (b) Arts Council England,  (c) Sport England,  (d) the Big Lottery Fund,  (e) English Heritage,  (f) the Heritage Lottery Fund and  (g) the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council was in each of the last three years; and how much he expects each to spend on research in 2008-09.

Margaret Hodge: The annual research budget for the Department and the named organisations (as provided by those organisations) in each of the last three years, and planned spend for 2008-09, are set out in the table. All figures are inclusive of VAT:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Financial year  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  Planned spend 2008-09 
			 DCMS 1,501,000 2,796,000 1,891,000 (1)— 
			 Arts Council 470,000 925,000 805,000 (1)— 
			 Sport England 3,700,000 3,100,000 2,500,000 (2)1,800,000 
			 BLF 100,000 125,000 130,000 166,000 
			 English Heritage 7,451,000 5,561,000 5,731,000 5,579,000 
			 Heritage Lottery Fund 563,000 561,000 493,000 552,000 
			 MLA Council 461,000 475,000 590,000 485,000 
			 (1 )To be determined (2) For the period 2008-09 this is an estimated figure as the budgets are being compiled and the figure quoted is for half a year.

Departmental Surveys

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of conducting staff surveys was for  (a) his Department,  (b) Arts Council England,  (c) Sport England,  (d) the Big Lottery Fund,  (e) English Heritage,  (f) the Heritage Lottery Fund and  (g) the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council in each of the last three years; and how much he expects each to spend on such surveys in 2008-09.

Margaret Hodge: The annual cost of staff surveys for the Department and the named organisations (as provided by those organisations) in each of the last three years, and planned spend for 2008-09, are set out in the table. All figures include VAT. The figures include the costs of the main staff survey and do not include ad hoc requests for information.
	
		
			   Financial year  
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 ( 1) 2008-09 
			 DCMS 20,000 0 21,540 0 
			 Arts Council 28,000 23,400 18,300 (2)— 
			 Sport England 13,543 15,897 (3)— (4)— 
			 BLF (5)— 8,500 9,000 9,500 
			 English Heritage 0 0 39,550 0 
			 Heritage Lottery Fund 0 0 0 0 
			 MLA Council 0 3,173 0 0 
			 (1 )Planned spend. (2 )Figures not available. (3 )None undertaken. (4) None planned. (5 )No survey

English Sports Council: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the staff costs at each of Sport England's regional offices were in each of the last three year for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The costs were as follows:
	
		
			  Part 2: Regional staff costs for last three years( 1) 
			  Region  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 North East 774,564 829,290 825,850 
			 Yorkshire 699,675 768,683 767,205 
			 East Midlands 792,948 880,039 828,087 
			 East 701,932 862,778 793,141 
			 London 846,095 1,025,970 1,052,293 
			 South East 871,171 937,940 797,033 
			 South West 882,430 890,032 845,956 
			 West Midlands 749,063 857,871 844,785 
			 North West 823,453 988,692 877,793 
			 Total 7,141,330 8,041,296 7,632,143 
			 (1) Includes salary, overtime, healthy life style benefits, employers pension and NI

Gambling Act, 2005

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Scoping Study for a UK Gambling Act 2005 Impact Assessment Framework was  (a) commissioned and  (b) planned to be published at the time it was commissioned.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Scoping Study for the UK Gambling Act, 2005 Impact Assessment Framework was commissioned in May 2006 and scheduled for completion in November 2006. DCMS did not stipulate a publication date. However, it was published on 26 February 2008 and has been placed in the House Libraries.

Lacrosse

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to encourage more young people to play lacrosse.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Lacrosse is one of 22 focus sports in the Step Into Sport programme (part of the Government's PE and Sport Strategy for Children and Young People). Between April 2003 and March 2009 the English Lacrosse Association (ELA) will receive £78,000 from Sport England to develop volunteering and leadership opportunities as part of the Step into Sport programme. In addition, the ELA has been awarded £357,000 from Sport England's club and coach funding to develop talent during the period 2008-11.

Lacrosse: Finance

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was allocated to British elite lacrosse players in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Lacrosse was identified as a 'development sport', due primarily to its potential to help people to start and continue to participate in sport. The English Lacrosse Association (ELA) submitted its Whole Sport Plan and was awarded £1.26 million for the four year period 2005-09. While the funding was primarily provided to grow and sustain grassroots participation in the sport, the English Lacrosse Association could, and indeed has, utilised some of the funding to support its England teams. It is for the ELA to decide how to utilise and deploy its Whole Sport Plan funding.

Lacrosse: Finance

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Sport England spent on supporting the development of lacrosse in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England has spent the following amounts in the last five years supporting lacrosse.
	
		
			   Spent 
			 2003-04 150,833 
			 2004-05 299,000 
			 2005-06 289,333 
			 2006-07 297,000 
			 2007-08 485,598 
			 Total 1,521,764

Lacrosse: Finance

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when  (a) he and  (b) a Minister in his Department last met the English Lacrosse Association to discuss (i) funding of and (ii) participation in the sport.

Andy Burnham: Since their respective arrivals in post, none of the current Ministers in DCMS have met with the English Lacrosse Association.

National Lottery: Wirral

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much lottery funding was awarded to projects in Wirral South constituency in 2007-08.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Approximately £349,000 was awarded in Wirral South during 2007-08. This figure is derived from the Department's Lottery Grants Database, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors and is searchable at :
	www.lottery.culture.gov.uk

National Lottery: Wirral

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Big Lottery Fund's outreach strategy in Wirral; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: No assessment has been made by DCMS on the effectiveness of the Big Lottery Fund's outreach strategy in Wirral. This is an internal operational matter for the Big Lottery Fund.
	I have asked Peter Wanless, chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund, to write to my hon. Friend on this matter.

National Lottery: Wirral

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the ratio of lottery funding applications to grants in the last five years in Wirral South constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department does not collect data on the number of applications made to lottery distributing bodies and could obtain the information only at disproportionate cost, so no such estimate has been made. All lottery distributors are directed to make guidance on how to apply for lottery funds widely available.

Regional Cultural Consortiums: Standards

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of regional cultural consortia in meeting their objectives since establishment.

Margaret Hodge: The aims, objectives and key activities for the Regional Cultural Consortia (RCCs) are agreed through their Funding Agreements with the Department. Their performance is monitored on an ongoing basis through regular feedback to my officials and reported on each year through the RCCs' Annual Reports and Accounts.
	The RCCs have also been periodically reviewed, in accordance with the business needs of my Department In early 2002, the RCCs underwent a review to assess the effectiveness of their operations. As recommended by the review, the Consortia were reconstituted as executive NDPBs and companies limited by guarantee in 2004.
	My Department is currently conducting a review of all our regional arrangements with the aim of delivering a more effective and efficient regional infrastructure. The work of the RCCs is included in this review.

Regional Development Agencies: Tourism

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department provided to the  (a) Eastern,  (b) East Midlands,  (c) West Midlands and  (d) South West regional development agencies in the last financial year; and what proportion of this funding to each agency was ring-fenced for tourism-related purposes.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 25 April 2008
	Funding for regional development agencies (RDAs) is not ring-fenced for particular economic sectors, such as tourism. In 2007-08, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) contributed £3.6 million to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's (DBERR's) single programme budget (the "Single Pot") in respect of the tourism responsibilities of the eight RDAs outside London. Tourism support expenditure by all the RDAs in 2007-08 is estimated at £43.5 million.

Regional Sports Boards: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the administrative budget of each regional sports board in England was in each of the last three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The budgets were as follows:
	
		
			  Part 3: RSB administration budget for last three years 
			   Original budget for each year 
			  Region  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 North East 16,000 16,000 15,000 
			 Yorkshire 11,000 10,000 10,000 
			 East Midlands 10,000 10,000 15,000 
			 East 12,000 15,000 15,000 
			 London 10,000 15,000 15,000 
			 South East 12,000 15,000 15,000 
			 South West 17,000 15,000 15,000 
			 West Midlands 10,000 10,000 15,000 
			 North West 20,004 17,500 15,000 
			 Total 118,004 123,500 130,000

Taking Part Survey

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what changes are planned for the next Taking Part survey; and what the reasons for each change are;
	(2)  what changes he expects to be made to the Taking Part survey in 2008-09.

Margaret Hodge: The Taking Part survey is run by DCMS in partnership with four of our NDPBs—Sport England, Arts Council England, English Heritage, and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. Together, we have committed to running the survey for a further three years, beginning in July 2008.
	The survey enables us to understand and monitor people's engagement with DCMS sectors, and we are keen to maintain continuity with data already collected so that our knowledge builds over time. The survey methodology will therefore remain broadly similar to that of previous years, that is, continuous face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of adults aged 16 and above and children living in private households in England.
	The new contract is currently being drafted and will determine the scope of the survey going forward. In response to the changing needs and strategic objectives of the survey's partners and stakeholders, our intention is to reduce the scale of the survey and revise the questions asked.
	We have been interviewing around 28,000 people each year. However, this is likely to be halved as we no longer plan to measure small changes within sub-samples of the population. The reduction will also help to make cost savings.
	We are also reviewing the questions that we ask respondents. Some questions will remain the same but through consultation with the survey's stakeholders and our own research and analysis we are identifying key questions that are necessary and relevant to DCMS and NDPB priorities.
	The scope and questions will be finalised in the coming weeks and, following piloting, fieldwork for the new Taking Part survey will begin in July. The survey will continue to evolve throughout the contract period (2008 to 2011).

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental NDPBs

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people were serving on the boards of the non-departmental public bodies which his Department sponsors at the latest date for which figures are available.

Gareth Thomas: The Cabinet Office publication "Public bodies 2007" lists the number of people serving on the boards of public bodies as at 31 March 2007. These figures are broken down by individual Departments. "Public bodies 2007" can be downloaded from:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/public/bodies.asp
	Copies are also available in the Library of the House.

Developing Countries: Malaria

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government has taken to reduce the number of children who die from malaria in developing countries since 1997.

Shahid Malik: Since 1997 the Department for International Development (DFID) has provided support for malaria control, targeted at both children and adults, through international organisations and partnerships, bilateral programmes and research. In April the Prime Minister announced that the UK will provide 20 million insecticide treated bed nets which are vital for protecting children from malaria and to prevent malaria deaths.
	DFID is providing £1 billion by 2015 to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. To date the Fund has disbursed US$ 5.5 billion, 25 per cent. of which goes to malaria programmes. DFID has also provided £49 million to the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership which plays an important role in helping countries develop and secure finance for national malaria plans.
	At the country level, DFID support in Kenya, Mozambique and Nigeria includes the treatment of children.
	DFID provides over £16 million for new drug development through its support for the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, (DNDI) and the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). Both are developing new malaria drugs.

Food: Prices

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government have taken to mitigate the effects of rising food prices on the populations of developing countries in the last 12 months.

Douglas Alexander: The UK Government are very concerned about the effects of rising food prices on the poorest. There are already 850 million who do not get enough to eat, and as prices rise this number will increase. Our response has been short-term humanitarian aid to those most seriously affected as well as medium and longer-term strategies to assist the hungry.
	Provisional figures for the 12 months up to March 2008 indicate that the Department for International Development (DFID) spent £342 million on humanitarian programmes, and much of this will have helped mitigate the effects of high food prices. A further £30 million was pledged to the World Food programme (WFP) last week. Our approach has prioritised protecting the extreme poor from the effects of high food prices. In Africa, DFID spent £50 million over the last year on social safety net programmes, which reach 10 million people in Ethiopia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Kenya. As part of our longer term work, DFID spends around £120 million a year directly on agriculture to help increase food production. Last week we announced an additional £400 million over the next five years to be spent on agricultural research.

International Assistance: Private Sector

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government have taken to involve private sector organisations in the facilitation of development in developing countries since 1999.

Shahid Malik: The UK Government work with developing country governments to support the growth of the private sector in their countries, and we fund a range of initiatives to encourage business to invest in key areas.
	We are currently working with major companies on the business call to action and on May 6 we showcased concrete initiatives taken by leading companies to use their core business to promote growth and development.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) has helped to establish and provides financing to the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa and the Private Infrastructure Development Group. Jointly with business we support the Investment Climate Facility for Africa, and recently announced the establishment of the International Growth Centre, which will deliver world class research and analytical and policy support to developing countries on growth.
	DFID also works directly with individual companies and business organisations to maximise the impact of business on development. The UK Government launched the extractive industries transparency initiative in 2002 and are currently launching two new initiatives to promote transparency in the construction sector and the medicines sector—the construction sector transparency (CoST) initiative and the medicines transparency alliance (MeTA). DFID also supports the ethical trading initiative and the multi-fibre arrangement forum, both of which promote responsible and successful business practices.

Latin America: Children

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has discussed programmes which could be designed to reduce the flow of street children to Latin American cities with partner non-governmental organisations.

Shahid Malik: Neither I nor my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development have had discussions with partner non-governmental organisations about programmes which could be designed to reduce the flow of street children to Latin American cities. In Latin America we work through multilateral institutions such as the EC and World Bank and the plight of these vulnerable groups is an important priority in their programmes.

Latin America: Children

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects are funded by his Department to assist street children in Latin America.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development is not currently funding any projects to assist street children in Latin America.

Overseas Aid

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of international aid requested from the UK by overseas countries was paid in each year between 1997 and 2007.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not hold figures on the proportion of international aid requested from the UK by overseas countries that was paid in each year between 1997 and 2007.
	However, the following was given by the UK in official development aid (ODA) in each year since 1997.
	
		
			  UK official development assistance, 1997 to 2007 
			  £ millions 
			   ODA 
			 1997 2,096 
			 1998 2,332 
			 1999 2,118 
			 2000 2,974 
			 2001 3,170 
			 2002 3,285 
			 2003 3,834 
			 2004 4,313 
			 2005 5,925 
			 2006 6,770 
			 2007 (provisional) 4,957 
			 Total 1997 to 2007 41,774

St. Helena: Airports

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made on the provision of an airport on the island of St Helena.

Shahid Malik: We have now completed the evaluation of the two bids received last November and are moving into a period of competitive negotiations with both contractors.
	On the island, the formal procedure for applying to the Governor-in-Council for the granting of planning permission started on 5 May. A public information week will be held later in May as part of this process.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has made to the UNAMID force in Darfur on the numbers of women peacekeepers.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	We have made representations to the UN and the African Union on the importance of an integrated mission plan to ensure that the civilian, police and military elements of the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) work closely together, including on gender issues. We have raised with international partners and the UN the need for the police component of UNAMID to be trained on community policing and gender-based violence. We continue to press all parties for the rapid deployment of an effective mission, and we welcome an increased representation of women peacekeepers within UNAMID.

Sudan: Sexual Offences

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports he has received of the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in Darfur.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	John Holmes, UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, briefed the UN Security Council on 22 April that there was evidence of high levels of sexual violence in West Darfur over the past two months.
	The UK has called on the Government of Sudan, and the armed groups, to end the human rights abuses in Darfur. We are supporting the rapid and effective deployment of the UN African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to protect internally displaced persons (IDP) and address the issue of violence against women. UNAMID has increased patrols to protect IDP gathering firewood and increased policing of IDP camps. We have raised with international partners and the UN the need for the police component of UNAMID to be trained on community policing and gender-based violence.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Antisocial Behaviour: Young People

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what authority police forces have to issue penalty notices for disorder to persons under 16 years of age.

Beverley Hughes: The following legislation provides authority to police forces to issue penalty notices for disorder (PND) to persons under 16 years of age. Sections 1 to 11 Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 introduced PNDs. Section 87(2) Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 extended PNDs to 16 to 17-year-olds. Section 87(3) provided an order making power to extend the age range to no lower than 10 years of age. That power was exercised by statutory instrument 2004 No. 3166.

Assessments: Absenteeism

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools had over 5 per cent. absence levels from Key Stage 3 tests in the years 2005 to 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: Information on schools' Key Stage 3 (KS3) test absence levels for the years 2005-07 can be found on the Department's Achievement and Attainment Tables website at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetables/.
	Information on schools' KS3 test absence levels for the KS3 2008 tests will be published on the Achievement and Attainment Tables website in February 2009.

Cadets: Armed Forces

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many cadet forces were operating in maintained schools in the latest period for which figures are available.

Derek Twigg: I have been asked to reply.
	There are currently 188 single Service Cadet Units, and 60 Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Contingents, in State (maintained) schools. The 60 CCFs represent 23 per cent. of the overall number of CCF contingents in schools.

Children in Care

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent estimate is of the number of children in care in each local authority area  (a) in total and  (b) as a proportion of all children in the local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: Information on the number of children in care in each local authority area  (a) in total and  (b) as a proportion of all children in each local authority area has been placed in the House of Commons Library (table LAA1).
	Table LAA1 is taken from the Statistical First Release entitled "Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2007", which is located at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000741/index.shtml
	and table LAA1 can be found within the first set of 10 additional tables supplementing SFR27/2007 on the website.

Children in Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many cases of self-harm were diagnosed in children in care in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many children in care were identified as gifted and talented in each year for which data is available;
	(3)  how many children in care had been separated from their siblings in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: Data on (a) the number of cases of self-harm that were diagnosed in children in care, (b) the number of children in care who were identified as gifted and talented and (c) the number of children in care that have been separated from their siblings are not collected centrally by the Department.
	Local authorities have a legal duty to safeguard the children they look after and to promote their welfare. Discharging this duty includes making a full assessment of each individual child's needs and ensuring that provision is put in place via the child's care plan to meet those needs. This includes in relation to education and to mental health issues.
	Local authorities are required by law to make arrangements for a looked-after child to live with their relatives (including siblings), so long as it is reasonably practicable and consistent with the child's welfare to do so. Authorities are also required to promote contact between the child and their siblings, unless it is not reasonably practicable or consistent with their welfare to do so.

Children: Disabled

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when the implementation guide for Aiming High for Disabled Children's core offer will be published.

Kevin Brennan: The implementation materials for the core offer, together with the national core offer, will be published on 15 May as part of the re-launch of the 'Aiming High for Disabled Children' section of the Every Child Matters website. The implementation materials, which pull together sets of existing guidance and examples of service delivery, will help local authority and primary care trusts implement the core offer locally.

Children: Prisoners

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what support the Government offers for children of prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	£5 million is spent each year to help offenders maintain positive ties with their children and families and to improve outcomes for the children of prisoners. Most prisons now have a visitor centre outside the gate, providing information and support for families. Over 100 prisons in England and Wales offer supervised play areas for some visits. Special visits are arranged which focus on the needs of the child. There is also provision for mothers to have young children with them in prison, where this is in the interests of the child.
	Last year, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Ministry of Justice conducted a priority joint review to improve support for the children of offenders. It concluded that parental imprisonment is a valuable opportunity to identify children at risk of poor outcomes and to offer them support. The findings, which were published in parallel with the "Think Family: Improving the life chances of families at risk" review, on 10 January 2008, can be found at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/~/media/assets/www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/social_exclusion_task_force/think_families/offenders_review_080110%20pdf.ashx
	As part of the "Think Family" approach, which includes the £16 million Family Pathfinder programme, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Ministry of Justice are exploring better ways to meet a child's needs when a parent goes to prison.

Children: Prisoners

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of children in  (a) Basingstoke constituency,  (b) Hampshire and  (c) England had at least one parent who are in prison in each year since 1997.

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of children in  (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and  (b) Bexley borough had at least one parent in prison in each year since 1997.

David Hanson: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on the number of children having a parent in prison is not collected centrally.
	A 2003 resettlement survey of 1,945 adult British national sentenced prisoners showed the average number of children per prisoner was 0.87. Using this information it was estimated that during 2005, 160,000 children had a British national parent in prison at some time.
	More detail on the 2003 survey is available in Home Office Research Findings 248 which is available on the RDS website:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/rfpubs1.html

Departmental Contracts

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what contracts were awarded by his Department to  (a) KPMG,  (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers,  (c) Ernst and Young,  (d) McKinsey,  (e) Deloitte and  (f) other consultancy firms in each of the last 12 months; and what the (i) purpose and (ii) value was of each of these contracts.

Kevin Brennan: The Department does not hold a comprehensive central record of contracts. Available records show the following contracts were awarded to the named organisations during the period April 2007 to January 2008. Further information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Organisation  Project/contract name  Start date  Estimated total value of contract (£) 
			 KPMG LCSB Priority Review November 2007 1,000 
			 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Teachers TV, Governance Review April 2007 51,829 
			  Evaluation of High Performing Specialist Schools May 2007 239,930 
			  Deputy Director for Educational Procurement Centre May 2007 120,000 
			  Evaluation of the Progression Pilot August 2007 930,583 
			  Educational Procurement Centre Events and Marketing Manager August 2007 90,000 
			  Teachers TV, Bid Evaluation (financial aspect) August 2007 62,579 
			  To carry out a review of the Languages Support Network August 2007 66,000 
			  Post-16 Statistical First Release review September 2007 35,000 
			  To gather a range of information from LA and schools in relation to contracts of employment, term time only formula, job descriptions and pay rates so that SSWG can move forward to develop a new pay and conditions framework for school support staff. September 2007 112,746 
			  State of the Market in Schools Improvement Services October 2007 6,825 
			  PWC Contact for Contact Point Centre for Excellence and Outcome grant, admin costs, running sourcing grant process November 2007 103,107 
			  End of Year Coaching January 2008 23,500 
			  Excel Training January 2008 13,576 
			 
			 Ernst and Young None recorded — — 
			 
			 McKinsey None recorded — — 
			 
			 Deloitte Staying Safe Good Practice Compendium December 2007 34,870 
			  Evaluation of Regional Commissioning pilots October 2007 112,655 
			  Contact Point Data Security Review December 2007 140,999

Departmental Cost Effectiveness

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what Gershon savings his Department and its predecessor have made since 1 April 2005.

Edward Balls: My Department is jointly committed with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), to the efficiency target set originally for the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).
	The DfES target is 2.5 per cent. a year over the Spending Review 2004 period. This means being able to demonstrate cumulative gains against our baseline of £1.45 billion in 2005-06, £2.9 billion in 2006-07 and £4.35 billion in 2007-08.
	Details of the specific initiatives which contribute to the joint DIUS/DCSF Gershon efficiency target are set out in the DfES Efficiency Technical Note, which is available on the DCSF's website:
	www.dcsf.gov.uk
	My Department will be reporting progress towards the DfES Gershon target in the Departmental Report 2008. This is about to be published in May 2008. Progress towards the target was last reported in the DCSF Autumn Performance Report, published in December 2007.

Departmental Freedom of Information

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many freedom of information requests made to his Department were  (a) answered (i) within 20 days, (ii) within 40 days, (iii) within 60 days, (iv) after 60 days,  (b) not answered and  (c) answered citing an exemption in the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as a reason not to provide the requested information in each year since the Act came into force.

Kevin Brennan: The Ministry of Justice has published two annual reports containing statistical information on freedom of information requests received by monitored bodies (including central Government Departments) in 2005 and 2006. These reports can be found at the following address:
	http://www.dca.gov.uk/foi/reference/statisticsAndReports.htm
	The 2007 annual report is currently being drafted for publication in June 2008. However, statistics on requests received in each quarter of 2007 have been published and can be found via the MOJ website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/freedomof informationquarterlv.htm
	The Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires public bodies to respond to written requests within 20 working days of receipt, but allows additional time for the consideration of the public interest in disclosing the requested information.
	The published reports provide statistics on the number of "non-routine" requests received during each period where: an initial response was provided within 20 working days; an initial response was given outside this time but a public interest test extension had been applied; an initial response was given outside this time and no public interest test extension was applied, and where no initial response had been given at the time the statistics were collected.
	The 2006 annual report provides statistics on the duration of the public interest test extensions in that year. Corresponding statistics for 2007 will be available when the 2007 annual report is published.
	Information requests where deadlines were extended beyond 40 days is not collected in the form requested; however the proportion of resolvable requests the Department answered "in time" (i.e. meeting the deadline or with a permitted extension) in 2007 was 92 per cent.
	For 2005 and 2006, the reports show the number of requests received by the Department which were withheld, either in full or in part, where an FOI exemption or EIR exception was applied. For 2007, the number of such requests was 66, based on aggregated quarterly statistics from 2007. Requests withheld solely under the exemption applicable to "information available by other means" are not included; statistics on these are not collected centrally because they are dealt with as routine business.

Females

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of permanent staff in his Department and its predecessors were female in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The latest figures available (31 December 2007) show that my Department has 2,900 permanent staff, of which 1,693 are female representing 58 per cent. of all permanent staff.
	The Department was formed as part of the Machinery of Government changes of 28 June 2007. It is therefore not exactly comparable to its predecessor, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), but figures for earlier years for DfES can be found in the Civil Service Statistics Archive:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/archive/index .asp

Females

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of female permanent staff in his Department and its predecessors worked  (a) part-time and  (b) flexibly in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The latest figures available (31 December 2007) record 2,900 permanent staff in my Department, of which 1,693 are female (58 per cent. of all permanent staff). Of these 411 worked part-time, representing 24 per cent. of all female permanent staff.
	As well as part-time working, the Department encourages a range of other flexible working patterns for all staff, including flexitime. The Department was formed as part of the Machinery of Government changes of 28 June 2007. It is therefore not exactly comparable to its predecessor, the Department for Education and Skills, but it does build on a wide range of flexible working patterns first developed in the previous Department. Figures for earlier years can be found in the Civil Service Statistics Archive:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/archive/index.asp

Females

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of female senior civil servants in his Department and its predecessors worked  (a) part-time and  (b) flexibly in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: At 31 December 2007 my Department had 48 female staff (45.3 per cent.) out of a total of 106 staff in the senior civil service. Four out of the 48 women (8.3 per cent.) in the senior civil service work part-time. In addition to part-time working, other flexible arrangements are available to staff.
	The Department was formed as part of the Machinery of Government changes announced on 28 June 2007. Although not directly comparable due to staff changes, its predecessor was the Department for Education and Skills which had 131 staff in the senior civil service, of which 53 were female at December 2006. Seven out of 53 women (13.2 per cent.) worked part-time at that point. Figures for earlier years can be found in the Civil Service Statistics Archive:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/archive/index .asp

Foster Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to implement multi-dimensional treatment foster care across England; what assessment he has made of the pilot schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: Multidimensional treatment foster care (MTFC) is an intervention for looked after children and young people with complex needs who are already displaying severe levels of challenging and antisocial behaviour or who are experiencing high levels of placement instability. The first grant-funded pilot programmes were developed for adolescents and have been followed by those for younger children. The programme for adolescents is being rigorously evaluated through a randomised controlled trial (RCT). This is a complex evaluation as it is one of the first such trials to be conducted in services for looked after children and will report early in 2010. It will help us establish whether this treatment intervention is more effective and cost-effective than services as usual for this very vulnerable group of looked after children. Depending on the findings we will consider what further capacity should be developed to meet the needs of looked after children and young people. While waiting for the evaluation results we are conducting an annual audit of progress to provide feedback to pilot sites and learn from experiences to date.

Pre-school Education: Research

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on research related to the education of children under the age of five in each of the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: Figures on the Department's expenditure on research on children and families, for each financial year since 2003, are given in the following table. These figures incorporate expenditure on research related to the education of children under the age of five.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2003-04 6,470,918 
			 2004-05 10,709,782 
			 2005-06 10,273,893 
			 2006-07 12,073,234 
			 2007-08 10,681,787 
		
	
	In 2007-08, approximately £5 million of this money was spent on research related to early years. Expenditure on research specifically related to the education of children under the age of five for earlier years could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what regulations govern the supply of  (a) subsidised and  (b) free lunches by schools; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: There are no regulations governing the supply of subsidised school lunches.
	Section 512ZA of the Education Act 1996, as amended by Section 201 of the Education Act 2002; The Education (Free School Lunches) (Prescribed Tax Credits) (England) Order 2003; and The Education (Free School Lunches) (State Pension Credit) Order 2005, covers free school lunches where a pupil has an entitlement.
	Section 87 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 amended Sections 512ZA and 533 of the Education Act 1996, to change the duty placed on local authorities and school governing bodies to charge for school lunches into a power to charge. This enables them to provide school lunches free of charge if they choose to do so.

School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of margins of error in the collection of statistics on the take-up of school meals in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what methods have been used by the School Food Trust to assess the rate of take-up of school meals in  (a) 2007 and  (b) 2008 to date; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: We have made no estimate on the margin of error in the collection of statistics on the take-up of school meals in each of the last five years, as we do not collect these statistics. Since 2006, the School Food Trust (SFT) has undertaken an annual survey of local authorities, which has asked them to provide information about school lunch take-up, both primary and secondary, in their area.
	Survey reports are available on the Trust's website at:
	http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/doc_item.asp?Docld=34&DocCatld=1
	(2006) and
	http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/doc_item.asp?Docld=55&DocCatld=1
	(2007). The findings indicate the numbers of local authorities (LAs) and numbers of schools within those LAs to which the data on take up of meals relates.
	The 2008 annual survey is under way. Questionnaires have been sent to all LAs in England. LAs have been asked to report take up data for all schools in their Authority. Results are expected in July.

Schools: Construction

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government has taken to reduce the administrative burden involved in the construction of new schools since 1997.

Jim Knight: This Department does not determine the legislative framework for the construction industry. We are now providing record amounts of capital support for investment in schools, a sevenfold increase in real terms between 1997 and 2010. A key aim in providing this investment is to ensure the best value for money for the taxpayer. Some systems must be in place to ensure proper Government control of public finance. Areas which we must address include that local authorities have a robust strategic vision for the delivery of education in their areas, that the investment we are providing supports this and is prioritised to need, and that procurement efficiencies are achieved. Our aim is to keep requirements to a minimum commensurate with proper management.
	Measures we have taken to keep bureaucracy to a minimum include:
	reduction of bid-based capital allocations, with significant amounts allocated to schools and authorities each year by simple needs-related formulae, with three year certainty to support robust local planning and prioritisation;
	local authority formulaic funding delivered through the Single Capital Pot to give local flexibility;
	reduction of the amount of asset management data we require from authorities;
	improvement and standardisation of Private Finance Initiative procedures;
	setting up Partnerships for Schools to support the Department and local authorities in the delivery of Building Schools for the Future;
	a new standardised procurement vehicle and processes for Building Schools for the Future investment, which Partnerships for Schools have reviewed and refined in consultation with stakeholders including the private sector;
	significant simplification of the delivery of funding for the voluntary aided sector;
	publication of innovative design guidance on many aspects of school buildings and facilities, including currently the development of Standard Specification Layouts and Dimensions guidance for components in school construction.
	At all times, it is our intention to keep the management requirements for all programmes to a minimum, to provide effective guidance and support where it is needed, and to learn and improve continuously. For instance, by effective engagement with authorities about to enter Building Schools for the Future, Partnerships for Schools has shortened by six months their lead-in time.

SEEVIC College

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress has been made on the development proposals for SEEVIC College in Castle Point; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	SEEVIC college has prepared an application in principle for the redevelopment of its Benfleet campus. The application in principle is due to be submitted to the Learning and Skills Council local office before the end of May.

Teachers: Pay

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the minimum starting rate of pay was for a newly qualified teacher in each year since 1996, expressed in 2006-07 prices.

Jim Knight: The information requested is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Comparison of teachers' pay 1996 to 2007—minimum starting pay for a newly qualified teacher 
			England and Wales  Inner London 
			Actual salary unadjusted for inflation  (£)  Percentage increase in real terms since 1 April 1996  Actual salary unadjusted for inflation  (£)  Percentage increase in real terms since 1 April 1996 
			 1996 April 12,342 0.00 14,346 0.00 
			  December 12,462 0.97 14,484 0.96 
			 1997 April 12,711 0.06 14,772 0.04 
			  December 12,873 1.34 14,961 1.32 
			 1998 April 13,131 0.82 15,261 0.80 
			  December 13,362 2.59 15,528 2.57 
			 1999 April 14,658 10.31 16,899 9.41 
			 2000 April 15,141 12.35 17,457 11.44 
			 2001 April 16,038 16.22 19,038 18.69 
			 2002 April 16,599 16.64 19,704 19.12 
			  September 17,595 23.64 20,700 25.14 
			 2003 April 18,105 23.64 21,522 26.44 
			 2004 April 18,558 23.33 22,059 26.11 
			 2005 April 19,023 23.75 22,611 26.54 
			  September 19,161 24.65 23,001 28.73 
			 2006 September 19,641 24.36 23,577 28.43 
			 2007 September 20,133 23.46 24,168 27.50 
			  Source: Deflator series: 28 March 2008, 2006-07 prices

Teachers: Training

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government is taking to provide training in dealing with bereaved children to teachers.

Kevin Brennan: The Qualified Teacher Status standards require that all trainees know how to identify and support children and young people whose progress, development or well being is affected by changes or difficulties in their personal circumstances and when to refer them to colleagues for specialist support.

Video Games: Violence

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent estimate he has made of the cost of implementing the recommendations of the Byron review.

Kevin Brennan: The Government accepted all the recommendations made in the Byron Review report 'Safer Children in a Digital World,' published on 27 March 2008. In a written ministerial statement on the same date, we committed to producing a comprehensive action plan in response to the recommendations. In developing that plan, the cost of implementation, as well as lead responsibilities and key delivery milestones, will be given more detailed consideration. The action plan will be published in due course. Taking forward the Review's recommendations will not always involve new or discreet action. In many areas Dr. Byron recommended building e-safety into planned activities and services for which funding has already been agreed, for example, that existing information services for parents should include advice on e-safety.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he will reply to question 200315 on trust schools, tabled on 22 April 2008 by the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.

Jim Knight: I responded to parliamentary question 200315 on 30 April,  Official Report, column 537W.

Young People: Crime Prevention

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to engage young people and members of the public in the preparation of the Youth Crime Action Plan.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	The views of the public and young people are central to the development of the Youth Crime Action Plan. Young people are often the group most concerned about crime and are frequently victims.
	In May we are planning a series of seminars with young people to engage with them and ask for views on the work being done on the Youth Crime Action Plan.
	The Home Office and Design Alliance are also consulting young people about staying safe as part of their joint work on the Technology and Design Alliance. The alliance is working with Government to raise the profile of the role that design can play in combating crime and antisocial behaviour.
	We have also been taking into account views of both young people and members of the public through qualitative research being undertaken by the Department for Children, Schools and Families exploring how best to tackle negative perceptions of young people. The results are being used to ensure the Youth Crime Action Plan tackles issues of importance to members of the public and young people and helps to address concerns regarding young people's behaviour.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Departmental NDPBs

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people were serving on the boards of the non-departmental public bodies which his Department sponsors at the latest date for which figures are available.

David Lammy: The Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 2007" lists the number of people serving on the boards of public bodies as at 31 March 2007. These figures are broken down by individual Departments. As my Department was created by machinery of government changes in June 2007, its non-departmental public bodies are listed within those of its predecessor Departments, namely the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Education and Science.
	For ease of reference, the relevant non-departmental public bodies are as follows:
	British Hallmarking Council
	Commission for Employment and Skills (Executive Non-Departmental Public Body and Company Limited by Guarantee)
	Design Council
	Higher Education Funding Council for England
	Learning and Skills Council
	National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts
	Office for Fair Access
	Research Councils
	Student Loans Company
	Technology Strategy Board
	Council for Science and Technology
	"Public Bodies 2007" can be downloaded from www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/public/bodies.asp. Copies are also available in the Library of the House.

Higher Education: Admissions

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people aged  (a) over 25 and  (b) over 30 years enrolled on a first degree course in a higher education institution in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is given in the table. Comparable figures for the 2007-08 academic year will be available in January 2009.
	
		
			  UK domiciled entrants( 1)  to first degree courses by age English higher education institutions, academic years 1997-98 to 2006-07 
			  Academic year  25 and under  26 to 30  Over 25( 2)  Over 30( 2)  All entrants 
			 1997-98 213,805 16,875 48,930 32,055 262,735 
			 1998-99 210,985 15,530 46,475 30,950 257,460 
			 1999-2000 212,465 14,100 43,900 29,800 256,365 
			 2000-01 212,900 12,625 40,780 28,155 253,680 
			 2001-02 223,035 13,080 43,520 30,445 266,555 
			 2002-03 233,330 13,245 44,215 30,970 277,545 
			 2003-04(3) 241,180 17,970 65,135 47,165 306,310 
			 2004-05 245,215 18,805 67,570 48,765 312,785 
			 2005-06 261,970 18,900 67,115 48,215 329,085 
			 2006-07 250,300 17,335 60,680 43,345 310,980 
			 (1) Includes entrants to both full-time and part-time courses. (2) These columns contain double counting as entrants aged over 30 are shown in both. (3) For years earlier than 2003-04, figures for the Open University have been excluded as they are not available separately for first degree entrants, only for all undergraduates. From 2003-04 onwards, figures for first degree entrants are available and have been included. Therefore, figures before 2003-04, and figures from 2003-04 onwards, cannot be directly compared.  Note: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December excluding those writing up, on sabbatical or dormant and are rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	Latest figures from UCAS, covering applicants to full-time undergraduate courses only, show that, after the small downturn in 2006, applicants who were accepted for entry in 2007 increased. For accepted applicants from the UK, figures show a rise of 5.5 per cent. to 364,500, with those from England showing a 6.1 per cent. rise to 307,000, the highest ever.
	Latest figures for students applying for entry in 2008, show as at the end of March, applicants to full-time undergraduate courses show a year-on-year rise of 5.5 per cent., with those from England up by 6.2 per cent.

Students: Loans

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  if he will estimate the cost of raising the student loan repayment income threshold to £20,000 and introducing thresholds and rates of student loan repayments of  (a) five per cent. on incomes of £20,000 to £29,999 and  (b) 7.5 per cent. on incomes over £30,000; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will estimate the cost of raising the student loan repayment income threshold to £25,000 and introducing thresholds and rates of student loan repayments of  (a) five per cent. on incomes of £25,000 to £29,999 and  (b) 7.5 per cent. on incomes over £30,000; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Introducing repayment thresholds of £20,000 and £30,000 with corresponding repayment rates of 5 per cent. and 7.5 per cent. would have an estimated one-off resource cost of £2 billion (for existing loans) and an ongoing resource cost of £700 million per year (for new loans).
	Introducing repayment thresholds of £25,000 and £30,000 with corresponding repayment rates of 5 per cent. and 7.5 per cent. would have an estimated one-off resource cost of £3.2 billion (for existing loans) and an ongoing resource cost of £1.1 billion per year (for new loans).
	The income threshold is one of the main features of the income contingent loan scheme. This protects borrowers when they need it as they only pay their loan back once they earn over the threshold. Borrowers currently repay nothing until they earn over £15,000. This strikes the right balance, making payments affordable to the individual and student loans affordable to the public purse. We are committed to maintaining the repayment threshold at £15,000 until 2010 when we will review it.

OLYMPICS

Departmental Domestic Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics on how many occasions she visited  (a) Scotland,  (b) Wales and  (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Tessa Jowell: Since my appointment in June 2007,1 have visited Scotland once and will be visiting Northern Ireland next month. I plan to visit Wales in the near future.

Olympic Delivery Authority: Manpower

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what proportion of staff working for the Olympic delivery authority are  (a) women and  (b) men.

Tessa Jowell: As of March 2008 the percentage of women directly employed by the Olympic delivery authority was 47.8 per cent. and the percentage of men was 52.2 per cent.

Olympic Games 2012: Red Arrows

Greg Clark: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether she has invited the Red Arrows to perform at the 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: It is not the job of the Government to make decisions about which organisations should perform at the 2012 Olympics. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic games and Paralympic games has the responsibility for deciding what to include in celebrations during the 2012 games. With four years to go, decisions are yet to be made on who will participate in the celebrations, but we want to make sure that they will be a spectacular showcase of Britain's best. I have made it clear many times that reports that the Government have banned the Red Arrows from being part of celebrations in 2012 are wholly without foundation.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Departmental Consultants

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultancy contracts his Department issued in each year since 2005; what the  (a) value,  (b) purpose and  (c) contractor was in each case; and whether the consultant's report is publicly available in each case.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 13 December 2007,  Official Report, columns 792-96W. New contracts entered into since that date are as shown in the following table.
	Information on contracts entered into since 2005 but which were no longer current in December 2007 could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
	Reports are not necessarily produced for all consultancy commissions. The Department does not generally publish reports prepared by consultants that it has engaged.

Employment

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the performance has been of the City Strategy pilot programmes in improving employment and skills outcomes.

Stephen Timms: The evaluation of the City Strategy will consider the performance of the Pathfinders in improving employment and skills outcomes. The report is due in the autumn of 2009.

Income Support: Mortgages

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what proportion of recipients of income support mortgage interest (ISMI) were also  (a) income support,  (b) income-based jobseekers allowance and  (c) pension credit recipients in each year since 1990; and what proportion of ISMI expenditure was on each group in each year since 1990, broken down by (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) region;
	(2)  how many people on  (a) income support,  (b) income-based jobseekers allowance and  (c) pension credit received income support mortgage interest in each year since 1995, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

James Plaskitt: Information is not available in the format requested. Recipient information is not available for pension credit. The available recipient information for income support and jobseeker's allowance has been placed in the Library. The requested information on expenditure is not available other than at disproportionate cost.

Income Support: Mortgages

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed income support mortgage interest in each year between 1990 and 1995; at what cost; what the average payment was; and what the average length of claim was.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Income: Graduates

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average income of graduates was in each region of England in each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: Average (median) weekly gross income for graduates is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Median weekly gross income for graduates (3-year averages), by Government office region, 1998-99 to 2005-06, in 2005-06 prices 
			  £ 
			  Government office region  1998-99 to 2000-01  1999- 20 00 to 2001-02  2000-01 to 2002-03  2001-02 to 2003-04  2002-03 to 2004-05  2003-04 to 2005-06 
			 North-east 411 402 423 441 459 448 
			 North-west 430 434 448 455 456 454 
			 Merseyside, Yorks and Humberside 411 406 421 441 441 440 
			 East midlands 426 439 433 433 443 461 
			 West midlands 454 450 445 455 456 446 
			 Eastern 470 480 488 496 497 497 
			 London 476 495 506 504 486 500 
			 South-east 485 504 509 507 509 502 
			 South-west 414 428 441 444 447 438 
			 Wales 414 404 425 415 415 404 
			 Scotland 440 451 451 458 457 462 
			 Northern Ireland 430 432 
			  Notes: 1. The information shown is for the United Kingdom from 2002/03 onwards. Earlier years are Great Britain only. Qualifications data are not available before 1998-99. 2. The results are based on survey data so are subject to sampling variability. 3. Graduates include anyone with educational and vocational degree level qualifications, in line with established definitions. 4. Weekly income amounts have been rounded to the nearest whole pound. 5. Median incomes have been presented. We have used median rather than mean as a measure of average incomes because they are less influenced by extreme values. 6. Three year averages of median incomes are presented as single year estimates are considered too volatile. These figures have been adjusted to account for the effect of inflation. This is consistent with the presentation of median incomes in the Households Below Average Income Publication. 7. The estimates are based on sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors that align the FRS to Government office region populations by age and sex. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining response bias.  Source: Family Resources Survey, 1998-99 to 2005-06

Jobcentre Plus

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance is given to Job Centres on responding to those seeking to advertise vacancies for jobs in the so-called sex industry; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Leslie Strathie, dated 7 May 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the guidance given to Jobcentre Plus staff when responding to employers seeking to advertise vacancies in the so-called sex industry. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus is obliged to provide a free public employment service to help people seeking work and employers fill their vacancies. As part of this, Jobcentre Plus advertises all kinds of vacancies, including those from within the adult entertainment industry, provided they comply with civil and criminal law. To refuse to advertise vacancies that comply with civil and criminal law would place us at significant risk of legal challenge. To put this in context, adult entertainment vacancies make up less than 0.016% of all vacancies advertised by Jobcentre Plus.
	Having said that, we recognise the sensitivities associated with working in the adult entertainment industry and have put in place a number of safeguards all of which are detailed in staff guidance to make sure customers are completely aware of the nature of specific vacancies and are able to make fully informed decisions about the suitability of a particular job. These include:
	a strap line on the vacancy, stating it is unsuitable for people under the age of 18;
	a detailed description of the vacancy and associated activities;
	discussing these vacancies only with people who enquire about them or who have been employed previously within the industry; and
	not obliging anyone to enquire about or apply for these type of vacancies (anyone is free to refuse to consider them without implications for their benefit).
	These safeguards were strengthened recently by some additional checks for employers notifying vacancies where physical contact might be involved, for example escort work and working in a massage parlour or a sauna, to ensure that it is not of a sexual nature. These additional checks are as follows:
	before a vacancy is advertised, employers must complete and return a statement, confirming the vacancy does not involve contact of a sexual nature;
	once advertised, Jobcentre Plus will, as part of a routine 48-hour courtesy call to employers, confirm nothing illegal was subsequently found to be part of the job requirements;
	Jobcentre Plus contacts people it knows have applied for such vacancies to see if anything illegal was subsequently found to be part of the job requirements;
	the service is withdrawn from any employer and we will inform the police if we believe the employer is involved in the provision of an illegal service.
	In addition to the above, if we receive a complaint from a jobseeker about the activities they have been asked to undertake, no further vacancies are accepted until an investigation into the exact nature of the work has been carried out. If it were found that an employer was involved in the provision of illegal activities, we would withdraw the service.
	We take every care to make sure the vacancies we handle meet appropriate legal standards. Without a clear reason to believe a particular employer is engaged in anything unlawful, we are not able to refuse to handle their vacancies.

Jobcentre Plus: Standards

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the performance of Jobcentre Plus in finding employment for those who had previously worked with salaries of £50,000 or higher.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available. Jobcentre Plus does not categorise individuals by their previous salary when recording its performance in helping people back into work.

Personal Income

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average family income was in each region of England in each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: Average (median) gross weekly income for families is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Median weekly gross income for families (3-year averages), by Government office region, 1997-98 to 2005-06, in 2005-06 prices 
			  £ 
			  Government office region  1997-98 to 1999-2000  1998-99 to 2000-01  1999-2000 to 2001-02  2000-01 to 2002-03  2001-02 to 2003-04  2002-03 to 2004-05  2003-04 to 2005-06 
			 North-east 236 247 262 275 279 282 286 
			 North-west 262 275 287 300 308 312 315 
			 Merseyside, Yorks and Humberside 260 275 287 301 306 315 321 
			 East midlands 284 290 306 314 328 333 335 
			 West midlands 282 294 305 315 318 319 318 
			 Eastern 341 357 374 387 386 385 388 
			 London 311 333 350 368 372 373 381 
			 South-east 359 380 396 407 411 419 421 
			 South-west 299 310 322 337 346 356 363 
			 Wales 251 256 268 281 295 305 309 
			 Scotland 265 271 280 292 302 309 316 
			 Northern Ireland — — — — — 289 289 
			  Notes: 1. The information shown is for the United Kingdom from 2002-03 onwards. Earlier years are Great Britain only. 2. The results are based on survey data so are subject to sampling variability. 3. Weekly income amounts have been rounded to the nearest whole pound. 4. Median incomes have been presented. We have used median rather than mean as a measure of average incomes because they are less influenced by extreme values. 5. Three year averages of median incomes are presented as single year estimates are considered too volatile. These figures have been adjusted to account for the effect of inflation. This is consistent with the presentation of median incomes in the Households Below Average Income publication. 6. A family is defined as 'a single adult or a couple living as married and any dependant children'. From January 2006 same-sex civil partners are also included in the same benefit unit. 7. The estimates are based on sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors that align the FRS to Government office region populations by age and sex. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining response bias.  Source: Family Resources Survey, 1997-98 to 2005-06

Social Security Benefits: Overseas Residence

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of  (a) the disability living allowance care component,  (b) incapacity benefit,  (c) the state pension and  (d) bereavement benefit he estimates are living in other European economic area (EEA) states and Switzerland.

James Plaskitt: The most recent available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Cases in payment in the European economic area and Switzerland 
			   Number 
			 Disability living allowance care component (at 4 October 2007) 110 
			 Incapacity benefit (at 8 April 2008) 10,180 
			 State pension (at 8 April 2008) 374,120 
			 Bereavement benefits (at 8 April 2008) 1,055 
			  Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest five.  Source: DMS MOP scan

State Retirement Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer, net of savings in means-tested benefits and additional tax revenues, of paying a full basic state pension to each individual, regardless of contribution record, at the rate of the guarantee credit, from the age of  (a) 68,  (b) 69 and  (c) 70 years of age from 2010; and if he will estimate in each case the cost in each of the following four years on the assumption that the pension was then indexed to earnings.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  Estimated net additional annual cost of paying a full basic state pension to all individuals aged (a) 68 years or over, (b) 69 years or over, and (c) 70 years or over, regardless of their national insurance contribution records, at the rate of the guarantee credit, from 2010 
			   £ billion—2008-09 prices 
			   (a)  (b)  (c) 
			 2010 12 11 10 
			 2011 13 12 11 
			 2012 13 12 11 
			 2013 14 13 11 
			 2014 15 13 12 
			  Notes: 1. Estimates have been rounded to the nearest £ billion and are presented in financial years (e.g. 2010 refers to the financial year 2010-11). 2. Estimates relate to individuals living in the United Kingdom. 3. The guarantee credit level has been defined as the standard minimum guarantee for a single pensioner with no additional premiums (i.e. currently £124.05 per week), increased by average earnings in future years. Treasury economic assumptions have been used to model earnings uprating. 4. The estimates are presented net of savings in income related benefits and additional tax revenues, which have been estimated using the Department's Policy Simulation Model.  Source: DWP modelling

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Business: Females

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much funding his Department is providing to support women's enterprise in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Government are determined that we maximise the untapped economic dividend for the UK from increasing female entrepreneurship rates. The US has 20 per cent. more businesses per head than the UK. A significant proportion of this gap is explained by much lower rates of women's entrepreneurial activity in the UK. This goes to the heart of the UK's productivity and competitiveness.
	This Department's funding for the delivery of support services for women's and other enterprises, is channelled through the Regional Development Agencies, via the Single Programme Budget, to enable them to achieve their regional priorities identified in their strategies, including supporting the development and growth of women's enterprise.
	The RDAs are our key partners in promoting enterprise and we are working with them in implementing the measures on women's enterprise announced as part of the Government's Enterprise Strategy. Those measures include provision for: £12.5 million of Government capital through a women's investment fund; women's business centre pilots; enhanced mentoring support; a new national enterprise centre of expertise; and activity aimed at opening up procurement opportunities to women-owned businesses. More information on the Strategy is available at:
	www.berr.gov.uk/enterprisestrategy

Carbon Emissions: Buildings

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of national aggregate carbon dioxide emissions emitted were attributable to energy consumption within buildings in each of the last five years; and what proportion of that figure comprised emissions from private households.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is provided in the following table. It is not possible to separate energy consumption for the purposes of heating and lighting in the industrial sector from energy consumption for other purposes (e.g. machinery, incineration). Therefore, the numbers given apply only to the commercial, public and residential sectors.
	More details on the sources of UK CO2 emissions can be found in The Annual Report to Parliament 2007.
	
		
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Total UK carbon dioxide emissions (million tonnes) 543.8 555.9 557.0 557.3 556.5 
			 Emissions from buildings in commercial sector (million tonnes) 52.0 55.1 54.5 54.5 56.2 
			 Emissions from buildings in public sector (million tonnes) 20.7 20.8 21.6 21.5 21.5 
			 Emissions from buildings in the residential sector (million tonnes) 146.3 149.5 150.7 147.3 146.7 
			 Total Building Emissions 219 225.4 226.5 223.3 224.4 
		
	
	The total CO2 emissions from buildings accounted for about 40 per cent. of total UK CO2 emissions (26.4 per cent. from the residential sector) in 2006.
	Emissions figures are provided on an 'end user' basis, while emissions from power stations are allocated to the buildings in which the electricity generated is consumed.

Certification Officer: Pay

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people employed by the Office of the Certification Officer had salaries between  (a) £20,000 to £30,000,  (b) £30,000 to £40,000,  (c) £40,000 to £50,000,  (d) £50,000 to £60,000,  (e) £60,000 to £70,000,  (f) £70,000 to £80,000,  (g) £80,000 to £90,000,  (h) £90,000 to £100,000,  (i) £100,000 to £110,000,  (j) £110,000 to £120,000,  (k) £120,000 to £130,000,  (l) £130,000 to £140,000,  (m) £140,000 to £150,000,  (n) £150,000 to £160,000,  (o) £160,000 to £170,000,  (p) £170,000 to £180,000,  (q) £180,000 to £190,000,  (r) £190,000 to £200,000 and  (s) over £200,000 in each year since it was established; and what the (i) mean and (ii) median salary of employees was in each such year.

Patrick McFadden: The Certification Office has provided the following details dating back to financial year 2001-02. They do not contain information relating to the Certification Officer himself because he is an office holder. Details of his remuneration are published each year in his annual report.
	The Certification Office was established in 1975. It is not possible to provide details for the period 1975 to 2000-01 without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   £20,000-£30,000  £30,001-£40,000  £40,001-£50,000  £50,001 + 
			 2001-02 6 1 1 0 
			 2002-03 5 2 1 0 
			 2003-04 3 3 1 0 
			 2004-05 3 5 1 0 
			 2005-06 3 5 1 0 
			 2006-07 3 5 1 0 
			 2007-08 3 4 2 0 
		
	
	
		
			   Median  Mean 
			 2001-02 26,872 26,402 
			 2002-03 27,997 27,905 
			 2003-04 26,983 26,670 
			 2004-05 32,158 29,526 
			 2005-06 25,633 25,699 
			 2006-07 26,282 27,068 
			 2007-08 33,873 31,423

Export Credits Guarantee Department: Environment Protection

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what account the Export Credits Guarantee Department takes of  (a) the social and environmental impacts of proposed projects,  (b) the domestic policies of the partner government and  (c) the partner government's international commitments on (i) climate change, (ii) biodiversity and (iii) sustainable development when determining its commitment to projects; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: ECGD's business principles state that ECGD will:
	"screen applications for cover to identify, and then analyse, any adverse or beneficial environmental, social or human rights aspects of relevant projects"
	and
	"determine the acceptability of applications for cover, taking account of appropriate external standards".
	The implementation of the business principles in relation to environmental issues is described further in ECGD's case impact analysis process (CIAP), which is published on the ECGD website. The CIAP states that:
	"In processing applications for support, ECGD will also take account of applicable (UK) Government policies and initiatives on the environment, sustainable development, and human rights."
	Host country requirements are taken into consideration in processing applications for ECGD support. ECGD will normally seek to apply the higher of relevant domestic requirements or international standards.
	http://www.ecgci.gov.uk/ecgd_case_impact_analysis_process-may_2004-4.pdf

Legal Profession

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the value of the contracts awarded by his Department to  (a) Christine Lee and Co. solicitors,  (b) Ward Hadaway solicitors,  (c) Dean and Dean solicitors and  (d) Lawford Kidd solicitors was in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Gareth Thomas: Central records indicate that the value of contracts awarded by the Department to the providers listed in each of the last five years was:
	
		
			   Provider  Contract value  ( £ ) 
			 2006-07 Ward Hadaway 4,877 
			 2007-08 Ward Hadaway 22,532 
			 2004-05 Lawford Kidd 2,250 
		
	
	Where a supplier is not listed there has been no expenditure. The Department has not made any payments to Christine Lee and Co. solicitors and Dean and Dean solicitors.

London Development Agency: Mandate Communications

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what payments the London Development Agency made to Mandate Communications and AS Biss in each of the last five years; on what dates; and for what purpose in each case.

Patrick McFadden: My Department does not hold records of the payments that London Development Agency makes to individual companies.

Migrant Workers: Pay

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department takes against employers who offer housing to immigrant workers and deduct more than the legally permissible offset from their salaries as payment.

Patrick McFadden: Under the national minimum wage legislation, accommodation is the only benefit in kind which can count against the minimum wage. The amount that can count towards minimum wage pay is set by Government, and is currently £4.30 per day, rising to £4.46 in October 2008.
	Arrears are due when an employer has not paid minimum wage as a result of a failure to properly apply the accommodation offset. We are strengthening our enforcement provisions through the Employment Bill, including providing for a penalty for all employers found to have underpaid their workers and a fairer system of calculating arrears.

Motor Vehicles: Fuels

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of litres, to the nearest million, of vehicle fuel sold in the UK in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Wicks: HM Revenue and Customs publish monthly clearances data (quantities released for consumption) on their website, http://www/uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bulloil. Their latest figures are in the table as follows.
	
		
			  Consumption of Road Fuel 
			  Million litres 
			   Motor Spirit  DERV 
			 2003 27,389 21,047 
			 2004 27,025 22,160 
			 2005 25,608 23,201 
			 2006 24,629 24,117 
			 2007 (provisional) 23,892 25,129 
			  Note:  Biofuels are not included  Source:  HM Revenue and Customs

OECD: Seoul

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which Ministers will attend the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's internet governance meeting in Seoul in June 2008.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 1 May 2008
	 : A UK Minister will not be attending the OECD Ministerial Conference on the Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul. The UK delegation will be led by Mr. David Hendon, Head of Business Relations, BERR.

Ordnance Survey

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the primary role of Ordnance Survey's Shareholder Executive is.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 6 May 2008
	The Shareholder Executive is responsible for advising Ministers from the Department for Communities and Local Government directly on the management of their shareholding and financial interests in Ordnance Survey, and managing the relationship with Ordnance Survey on all shareholder and financial issues.

Post Offices

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will place in the Library a copy of the datasets on road distance to a post office or sub-post office for lower layer super output areas provided by the Post Office to assist the compilation of the Index of Deprivation for  (a) 2007 and  (b) 2004.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many post office branches there were in each local authority area in England in each year since 1996-97.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of post offices proposed for closure are run from  (a) leasehold and  (b) freehold properties.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Renewable Energy: Housing

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what maximum grant was available to individual households under the low carbon buildings programme for (A) solar photovoltaics,  (b) wind turbines,  (c) small hydro,  (d) solar thermal hot water,  (e) ground source heat pumps,  (f) biomass room heaters and stoves and  (g) wood-fuelled boiler systems in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007.

Malcolm Wicks: The maximum grants available to individual households under the low carbon grants scheme in 2006 and 2007 were as follows:
	
		
			  Level of grant up to 31 March 2007 
			  Product  Percentage grant available (Percentages relate to eligible costs) 
			 Solar Photovoltaics To 31 March 2007:Maximum 3,000 per kWp installed up to a maximum of £15,000 subject to an overall 50 per cent. limit of the installed cost (exclusive of VAT). 
			 Wind turbines Maximum £1,000 per kW installed, up to a maximum of £5,000 subject to an overall 30 per cent. limit of the installed cost (exclusive of VAT) 
			 Small hydro Maximum £1,000 per kW installed, up to a maximum of £5,000 subject to an overall 30 per cent. limit of the installed cost (exclusive of VAT) 
			 Solar thermal hot water Maximum £400 regardless of size subject to an overall 30 per cent. limit (exclusive of VAT) 
			 Ground/water/air source heat pumps Maximum £1,200 regardless of size subject to an overall 30 per cent. limit (exclusive of VAT) 
			  Bio-energy:  
			 1 .Room Heater/Stoves automated wood pellet feed Maximum £600 regardless of size subject to an overall 20 per cent. limit (exclusive of VAT) 
			 2. Wood fuelled boiler systems Maximum £1,500 regardless of size subject to an overall 30 per cent. limit (exclusive of VAT) 
		
	
	The grant levels from May 2007 to date are as follows:
	
		
			  Levels of grant post 31March 2007 
			  Technology  Maximum Amount of Grant 
			 Solar photovoltaics Maximum of £2,000 per kW of installed capacity, subject to an overall maximum of £2,500 or 50 per cent. of the relevant eligible costs, whichever was the lower. 
			 Wind turbines Maximum of £1,000 per kW of installed capacity, subject to an overall maximum of £2,500 or 30 per cent. of the relevant eligible costs, whichever was the lower 
			 Small hydro Maximum of £1,000 per kW of installed capacity, subject to an overall maximum of £2,500 or 30 per cent. of the relevant eligible costs, whichever was the lower 
			 Solar thermal hot water Overall maximum of £400 or 30 per cent. of the relevant eligible costs, whichever was the lower. 
			 Ground source heat Overall maximum of £1,200 or 30 per cent. of the relevant eligible costs, whichever was the lower. 
			 Automated wood pellet fed room heaters/stoves Overall maximum of £600 or 20 per cent. of the relevant eligible costs, whichever was the lower. 
			 Wood fuelled boiler Overall maximum of £1,500 or 30per cent. of the relevant eligible costs, whichever was the lower

Renewable Energy: Housing

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what maximum grant will be available to individual households under the low carbon buildings programme for  (a) solar photovoltaics,  (b) wind turbines,  (c) small hydro,  (d) solar thermal hot water,  (e) ground source heat pumps,  (f) biomass room heaters and stoves and  (g) wood-fuelled boiler systems in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010.

Malcolm Wicks: From May 2007 to date under the low carbon buildings programme household stream the current maximum grant per household is £2,500. The specific grant levels are set out on the low carbon buildings programme website:
	http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/how/householders/
	There are no plans to change the grant cap or the grant levels. The programme has been extended to June 2010 or until funds are exhausted whichever comes sooner. We will continue to monitor uptake to the domestic stream going forward.

Renewable Energy: Housing

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what his Department's expenditure on grants for households under the low carbon buildings programme for  (a) solar photovoltaics,  (b) wind turbines,  (c) small hydro,  (d) solar thermal hot water,  (e) ground source heat pumps,  (f) biomass room heaters and stoves and  (g) wood-fuelled boiler systems was in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007.

Malcolm Wicks: Under the low carbon buildings programme household stream the total grants paid in 2006 was £1,012,021 and £5,218,922 in 2007.
	Further information and breakdown of grants paid for each technology is available on the low carbon buildings programme website:
	http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/info/stats/

Renewable Energy: Housing

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many grants were allocated to households by his Department under the low carbon buildings programme for  (a) solar photovoltaics,  (b) wind turbines,  (c) small hydro,  (d) solar thermal hot water,  (e) ground source heat pumps,  (f) biomass room heaters and stoves and  (g) wood-fuelled boiler systems was in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007.

Malcolm Wicks: Under the low carbon buildings programme household stream the total value of grant committed in 2006 was £4,560,706 and £2,662,791 in 2007.
	Further information and breakdown of grants paid for each technology is available on the low carbon buildings programme website
	http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/info/stats/

Renewable Energy: Housing

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what his Department's budget for household grants under the low carbon buildings programme for  (a) solar photovoltaics,  (b) wind turbines,  (c) small hydro,  (d) solar thermal hot water,  (e) ground source heat pumps,  (f) biomass room heaters and stoves and  (g) wood-fuelled boiler systems is for (i) 2008 (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010.

Malcolm Wicks: The Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) Phase 1 has a £36 million budget over three years. We did not set yearly allocations or specific amounts of funding for individual technologies.
	The programme has been extended to June 2010 (or until funds are exhausted whichever comes sooner) with the remaining £10 million budget covering the range of technologies.

JUSTICE

Convictions: Genetics

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to review the cases of those convicted of serious crimes on the basis of low template DNA evidence; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Government have no plans to review convictions involving the use of low template DNA evidence. A review of low template DNA techniques, commissioned by the Independent Forensic Science Regulator and led by Professor Brian Caddy, Emeritus Professor of Forensic Science at Strathclyde university, was published on 11 April. The overall finding of the review is that the science supporting the delivery of low template DNA profiling is sound. Any individual who alleges that he or she is the victim of a miscarriage of justice may apply to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an independent body, for it to consider the case. The Commission has the power to refer any cases where there is a real possibility that the conviction or sentence will not be upheld to the appropriate court, which will treat the reference as a new appeal.

Courts

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will consider the merits of introducing a mechanism to measure levels of public confidence in the court system.

Maria Eagle: The British Crime Survey (BCS) has been used to measure public confidence in aspects of the Criminal Justice System since 2001. In October 2007, new questions were introduced into the survey which will provide information about public confidence in the fairness and effectiveness of the courts.

Crime: Victims

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 555W, on crime: victims, what form the recruitment exercise for a commissioner for victims and witnesses took; what steps his Department has taken to make an appointment since 2006; and what future options for the role of commissioner are under consideration.

Maria Eagle: The recruitment exercise for the role of Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses was carried out according to the code of practice for public appointments and used an executive recruitment agency (Veredus) who specialise in public appointments. This included public advertisements in relevant publications and an executive search targeting individuals perceived to be of the right calibre for the role.
	We are still undertaking analysis to inform options for the role. The Office For Criminal Justice Reform is consulting with a number of relevant stakeholders (including the Victims Advisory Panel) and will be putting advice up to Ministers in due course.

Criminal Proceedings: Genetics

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what research his Department  (a) has commissioned and  (b) plans to commission on the use of DNA mixtures evidence in court proceedings;
	(2)  what guidance his Department has issued to the courts on the use of low-tech DNA evidence in cases before the courts.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice has not commissioned any research on the use of DNA mixtures evidence in criminal proceedings, and has no plans to do so. Nor is it our practice to issue guidance to the courts on how to evaluate the admissibility of different kinds of evidence. However, the Independent Forensic Science Regulator will shortly be publishing a full response to the independent review "A Review of the Science of Low Template DNA Analysis", which recommended the development of guidance on DNA technology for the use of participants in the criminal justice system generally. Furthermore, guidance on low copy number DNA evidence was issued jointly by the Crown Prosecution Service, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Interim Forensic Science Regulator to Crown prosecutors on 28 January 2008. It is available on the CPS website at:
	http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/prosecution/lcn_checklist.html.

Departmental Closed Circuit Television

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent assessment he has made of the extent to which closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) operated  (a) by and  (b) on behalf of his Department comply (i) with the Data Protection Act 1998, (ii) the CCTV Code of Practice published by the Information Commissioner and (iii) relevant BSI standards.

Michael Wills: All CCTV systems installed in Ministry of Justice buildings are required to comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act and the CCTV Code of Practice published by the Information Commissioner, which has been adopted by the Ministry. MOJ CCTV systems are not currently required to conform with recently published BSI standards on digital CCTV recording, which are not a mandatory requirement. The Ministry's policy on CCTV compliance is reviewed bi-annually; the next review is due to be undertaken in December 2008.

Departmental Contracts

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2008 to the hon. Member for Fareham,  Official Report, columns 1170-74W, on departmental contracts, to which property or properties the expenditure on GVA Grimley related; and what the conclusion of the non-domestic rating challenge was.

Maria Eagle: The expenditure on GVA Grimley related to their work, during 2007-08 in challenging National Non Domestic Rating assessments on the following properties:
	Barnet Magistrates Court
	Bristol Greyfriars
	Bury County Court
	Cambridge Magistrates Court
	HMCS NE Regional Directors Office
	Manchester County Court
	Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court
	N and W Greater Manchester MCC Offices
	Northampton Bulk Issue Centre
	Nuneaton County Court
	Royal Courts of Justice
	Stourbridge County Court.
	The rating challenge exercise resulted in savings in rates payments of £567,908 recovered in 2007-08, with continuing savings of £418,303 per annum.

Departmental Freedom of Information

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many freedom of information requests made to his Department were  (a) answered (i) within 20 days, (ii) within 40 days, (iii) within 60 days, (iv) after 60 days,  (b) not answered and  (c) answered citing an exemption in the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as a reason not to provide the requested information in each year since the Act came into force.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice has published two annual reports
	containing statistical information on freedom of information requests received by monitored bodies (including central government departments) in 2005 and 2006. These reports can be found at the following address:
	http://www.dca.gov.uk/foi/reference/statisticsAndReports.htm
	The 2007 annual report is currently being drafted for publication in June 2008. However, statistics on requests received in each quarter of 2007 have been published and can be found via my Department's website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/freedomofinformationquarterly.htm
	The Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires public bodies to respond to written requests within 20 working days of receipt, but allows additional time for the consideration of the public interest in disclosing the requested information.
	The published reports provide statistics on the number of "non-routine" requests received during each period where: an initial response was provided within 20 working days; an initial response was given outside this time but a public interest test extension had been applied; an initial response was given outside this time and no public interest test extension was applied, and where no initial response had been given at the time the statistics were collected.
	The 2006 annual report provides statistics on the duration of the public interest test extensions in that year. Corresponding statistics for 2007 will be available when the 2007 annual report is published.
	Information requests where deadlines were extended beyond 40 days is not collected in the form requested; however the proportion of resolvable requests the Department answered "in time" (i.e. meeting the deadline or with a permitted extension) in 2007 was 89 per cent.
	For 2005 and 2006, the reports show the number of requests received by the Department which were withheld, either in full or in part, where an FOI exemption or EIR exception was applied. For 2007, the number of such requests was 176, based on aggregated quarterly statistics from 2007. Requests withheld solely under the exemption applicable to 'information available by other means' are not included; statistics on these are not collected centrally because they are dealt with as routine business.
	Figures prior to 9 May 2007 are for requests made to the DCA.

Departmental Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 22 April 2008,  Official Report, column 2012W, on departmental public participation, how many responses were received for each  (a) survey,  (b) questionnaire and  (c) other service.

Michael Wills: The information requested is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			Type 
			  Name of the survey etc  Name of firm carrying out work  (a) Survey  (b) Questionnaire  (c) Other 
			 The Courts Experiences of Adults with Mental Health problems: Learning Disabilities and Limited Mental Capacity British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) — — 26 Face to face interviews; 10 Telephone interviews; 16 questionnaires by email; Plus extensive desk research. 
			 Victims Advocates Pilot Scheme Evaluation British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) — — 74 interviews 
			 Awareness of and development of offender management across prison and probation staff Burns and Co. 36 responses — — 
			 Focus groups—Victims of Crime, leaflet Central Office of Information plus Burns and Co — — 62 participants over ten focus groups 
			 Health and Social Care Professionals Awareness of the Mental Capacity Act (paper survey) Distribution through Binleys. Survey conducted by Ipsos MORI 4,381 responses — — 
			 The Pro Bono Work of Legal Executives ECOTEC Research and Consulting 1,021 responses — — 
			 Evaluation of Alternative Dispute Resolution in Social Security and Child Support Tribunals ECOTEC Research and Consulting — — 98 Qualitative interviews at current as of 30 April 
			 Salford Community Justice Initiative Evaluation Evidence Led Solutions — — 156 Qualitative interviews 
			 Tribunal Service Customer Satisfaction Survey FDS International Ltd 2,672 responses — — 
			 Testing of language and understanding of departmental strategic objectives with general public and staff GfK NOP through Central Office of Information Communications 500 responses — 48 participants over six focus groups 
			 Sentencing and rehabilitation ICM (via omnibus questions) 3,013 responses — — 
			 HMCS Court User survey Ipsos MORI 11,519 responses — — 
			 Witness and Victim Experience survey Ipsos MORI 30,936 responses in 2007-08 — — 
			 Inform, persuade, remind research Ipsos MORI 6,513 responses — — 
			 Nottingham Community Justice public opinion poll Ipsos MORI 1,804 responses — — 
			 Survey on Tackling and Preventing Sexual Ipsos MORI 6,066 responses — — 
			 Tribunal Service Customer Expectation survey Ipsos MORI 730 responses — — 
			 Customer Satisfaction questionnaire Ipsos MORI — Nil responses. This questionnaire has not yet been used in the field. — 
			 Beacon Approach Evaluation Ipsos MORI 54 responses — — 
			 General Public Awareness of the Mental Capacity Act (Capibus survey) Ipsos MORI 1,781 responses — — 
			 Legal Professionals Awareness of the Mental Capacity Act (online survey) Ipsos MORI 540 responses — — 
			 Office of Public Guardian and Court of Protection Customer survey Ipsos MORI 2,229 responses — — 
			 Constitution Directorate tracker survey Ipsos MORI 7,712 responses — — 
			 Opinion Research, Merthyr Tydfil Community Justice Project Lamajo 154 responses — 35 participants in focus groups 
			 Dedicated Drug Court Pilots: A Process Report Matrix Knowledge Group — — 13 participants in focus groups; 78 structured interviews 
			 Reporting restrictions in the Coroners Courts Opinion Leader Research (OLR) — — 16 participants in one workshop 
			 MOJ Staff Satisfaction Pulse Survey Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) International 4,165 responses — — 
			 Stocktake of attitudinal data PA Consulting, Ipsos MORI — — No responses—desk research 
			 Public consultation for Community Justice Leicester Perpetuity — — Consultation. Further details currently unavailable 
			 HM Prison Service Annual Staff survey Snap survey 24,630 responses — — 
			 Tracker survey of local residents, Community Justice Centre, North Liverpool Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) — 2532 responses — 
			 Public Perception of Risk and Protection from Serious and Violent Crime Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) — — 32 participants in focus groups 
			 Preparatory facilitation for MOJ Engagement Study Working Group Towers Perrin-ISR — — 25 participants in working group 
			 Staff Opinion survey/Engagement Study/Culture Audit for all MoJ staff Towers Perrin-ISR Nil responses. This survey has not yet been used in the field. — — 
			 Employment tribunal mediation pilot Westminster University, fieldwork sub-contracted to British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) 143 responses — —

Electoral Systems

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Government plans to change the voting system used to elect hon. Members.

Michael Wills: The Government published the Review of Voting Systems in January 2008 which considers the experience of the new voting systems introduced in the United Kingdom since 1997. The Review forms part of the continuing debate on electoral reform, and at this point the Government are not seeking to change the electoral system for the House of Commons.

Electronic Voting

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer from the hon. Member representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission of 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 451W, on electronic voting, which recommendations of the Electoral Commission on e-counting his Department has undertaken to implement.

Michael Wills: The Government are currently reviewing the Electoral Commission's recommendations in response to the Gould report concerning the future use of e-counting. Along with the valuable lessons which we have learnt from previous e-counting pilots, these will help to inform our future policy for e-counting.

Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006

Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions under the Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006 have been made since its introduction; and what the outcome of those prosecutions has been.

Maria Eagle: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 20 February 2008,  Official Report, column 778W to the hon. Member for Teignbridge (Richard Younger-Ross).
	The Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006 came into force on 20 February 2007. We do not yet have prosecution figures covering 2007. We would expect the number of prosecutions to be small. Any act involving violence against emergency workers would be covered by the general law on assault and the new offence is limited to obstruction only.

Peterborough Prison: Foreigners

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign nationals are detained at HMP Peterborough.

David Hanson: At the end of March 2008, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 155 foreign national prisoners (101 male and 54 female) detained in Peterborough prison.
	This information is available at the following website where it is updated quarterly.
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/populationincustody.htm
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/population-in-custody-mar08.pdf
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prison Service: Manpower

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people are employed in HM prison service in England and Wales.

Maria Eagle: As at 31 January 2008 there were 52,621 directly employed staff within HM Prison Service establishments in England and Wales, including privately managed prisons.

Prisoners Transfer: Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance has been issued by the Youth Justice Board to secure units on the transfer of 15 year old boys into prisons.

David Hanson: The Youth Justice Board issued revised placements guidance in 2004 to all under-18 custodial establishments and youth offending teams. It includes a transfer protocol, which specifies that placements of boys aged 15 and older in secure children's homes and secure training centres should be regularly reviewed to assess whether they still require the level of support provided by those establishments.
	Boys aged 15-17 are normally placed in young offender institutions unless they are assessed as requiring the different environment and level of support that a secure training centre or a secure children's home offers.

Prisoners: Females

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the recommendations to member states contained in paragraphs 19 to 29 of the European Parliament's resolution of 13th March 2008 on the particular situation of women in prison and the impact of the imprisonment of parents on social and family life; what plans he has to implement the recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The recommendations will be considered in the context of implementation of the commitments set out in the Governments response to the Corston report, and within a joint priority review by the Department for Children Schools and Families and the Ministry of Justice to support the children of offenders to achieve better outcomes.

Prisoners: Internet

Si�n Simon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his Department's policy is on blogging by prisoners.

Maria Eagle: There is no policy on prisoners contributing to blogs. Prisoners do not have direct access to the internet, other than under controlled circumstances or for specific educational purposes, which is via controlled connectivity to secure NOMS accredited sites. NOMS policy on prisoner communications does, however, set out restrictions on material that prisoners may send if it is intended for publication.

Prisoners: Suicide

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many suicides within  (a) adult prisons and  (b) young offender institutions in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007 took place within the first seven days of custody; and how many prisoners who committed suicide in their first seven days in custody had on one or more of those seven days been housed in police or court cells.

Maria Eagle: There were six self-inflicted deaths(1) in adult prisons(2 )within the first seven days of prison custody in 2006 and 10 in 2007. There was also one self-inflicted death of an adult prisoner in each of 2006 and 2007 in prisoner escort custody prior to arrival in prison. There were no such deaths in young offender institutions in either 2006 or 2007.
	Information regarding time spent in court or police custody prior to first reception in prison is not held centrally.
	(1 )The Prison Service definition of self-inflicted deaths is broader than the legal definition of suicide and includes all deaths where it appears that a prisoner has acted specifically to take their own life. This inclusive approach is used in part because inquest verdicts are often not available for some years after a death (some 20 per cent. of these deaths will not receive a suicide or open verdict at inquest). Annual numbers may change slightly from time-to-time as inquest verdicts and other information become available.
	(2 )Includes deaths where prisoner transferred to hospital following initial incident.

Prisons: Finance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Government has budgeted for the construction of new Titan prisons.

David Hanson: The cost of construction of the Titan prisons has been estimated to be around 350 million each at 2007-08 prices.
	The cost of building and operating the Titan prisons, which will be post 2011 spending review period, will be subject to the usual comprehensive spending review processes.

Prisons: Finance

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much prisons in England and Wales received for work done by prisoners from  (a) private and  (b) public sector organisations in each of the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the potential to increase prison revenue from such sources.

Maria Eagle: The following table shows the value of both internal and external sales from work done by prisoners in public sector prisons in England and Wales. While the Prison Service would seek to receive revenue where possible it should also be acknowledged that prison industries have a number of other objectives including purposeful activity as well as skills and employment opportunities.
	
		
			  000 
			   Internal sales( 1)  External sales( 2) 
			 2007-08 30,560 6,010 
			 2006-07 27,571 6,370 
			 2005-06 31,334 (3) 
			 2004-05 37,919 (4)3,673 
			 2003-04 40,782 (4)4,370 
			 (1) The total sales value of goods and services provided using prisoners for internal consumption, including sales to the Ministry of Justice. The general reduction over the period is predominantly due to the phased implementation of hard charging.  (2) Total sales revenue from predominantly private sector organisations.  (3) Reliable data are not available for 2005-06 due to a system failure.  (4) Data extracted from internal (prison industry) monitoring and recording systems.

Prisons: Mental Health Services

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking in response to the comments of HM Inspector of Prisons that four out of five mental health in-reach teams in prisons feel unable to respond adequately to the range of needs they face.

Maria Eagle: The report, The mental health of prisoners thematic (HMIP, 2007) made a number of recommendations about improving mental health care in prisons. The Department of Health is preparing its response to all these recommendations.

Shoplifting

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions there were for shoplifting in each of the last three years.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 5 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2631W.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available in the autumn of 2008.
	The information requested covering cautions, convictions and penalty notices for disorder (PNDS) for the years 2004-06 is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of offenders cautioned, defendants found guilty and penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) issued for shoplifting, England and Wales 2004-06( 1,2) 
			   Cautioned  Found guilty  PNDs issued 
			 2004 41,165 69,542 (3)2,072 
			 2005 44,012 64,076 21,997 
			 2006 45,054 58,536 38,772 
			 (1) The cautions and found guilty data are provided on the principal offence basis. PND data is a count of all penalty notices for disorder issued during the year. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) The offence of retail theft (goods of value under 200) was added to the PND scheme on 1 November 2004.  Source: Court proceedings and penalty notices for disorder databasesOffice for Criminal Justice Reform

Young Offender Institutions: Education

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young offender institutions provide discrete  (a) personal,  (b) social and  (c) health education courses.

David Hanson: An audit of education in secure accommodation carried out by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in 2002 identified the need for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs), and funding was obtained by the YJB to ensure that each Young Offenders Institution has the support of a SENCO. This requirement is incorporated into the Offenders Learning Journey (Juvenile) which sets out the delivery of learning and skills services to young offenders in custody in England. The Learning and Skills Council are also currently undertaking a review process which will ascertain the level and range of educational need for offenders in each custodial and community setting, thus informing the range and types of provision to be commissioned. We expect the reviews to include an analysis of the level of need for learners with learning difficulties and disability.

Young Offenders: Sentencing

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what mechanisms are in place to reduce the number of people under the age of 21 years in prison for non-violent offences.

David Hanson: While sentencing in any individual case is a matter entirely for the court, the Government believe that prison should be reserved for serious and dangerous offenders. Other offenders are normally better punished in the community. The Government introduced the generic community order for adults in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and provisions in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill currently going through Parliament will create the youth rehabilitation order, a broadly similar sentence for juveniles. Such orders enable the courts to choose from a wide range of requirements so as to effectively meet the circumstances of the offence and the offender. They should enable the courts to have greater confidence in community sentences and to use them instead of custody in all cases other than when custody really is the only punishment that will meet the circumstances of the offence.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on the website www.knowyourlimits.gov.uk in each month since its inception; what the budget for the website is for 2008-09; how many staff are employed to maintain the website; and how many unique visitors there were to the website in each month since its inception.

Liam Byrne: We are unable to provide costs split out on a monthly basis for the www.knowyourlimits.gov.uk website, but can provide annual costs as follows on table 1.
	Maintenance of this website is the shared responsibility of Department of Health and Home Office Know Your Limits Campaign teams and does not require a full time member of staff to maintain.
	From the end of June 2008, the website will no longer exist, and visitors will be redirected to a new NHS units awareness site, which will be funded by the Department of Health. Therefore the forecast for 2008-09 is based on an estimated monthly maintenance fee for April, May and June and may be subject to change.
	Table 2 shows the numbers of unique users there have been to this website by month.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			  Financial year  Spend () 
			 2006-07 50,000 
			 2007-08 29,000 
			 2008-09 (budget forecast) 7,250 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2 
			  Year by month  Unique users 
			  2006  
			 October 10,684 
			 November 16,087 
			 December 8,273 
			   
			  2007  
			 January 18,714 
			 February 36,772 
			 March 15,354 
			 April 4,240 
			 May 5,558 
			 June 4,356 
			 July 3,759 
			 August 3,799 
			 September 5,492 
			 October 8,563 
			 November 33,384 
			 December 18,158 
			   
			  2008  
			 January 45,119 
			 February 75,387 
			 March 9,458

Animal Experiments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how substantial suffering, as set out in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is measured; and what guidance her Department has issued to inspectors on the determination of substantial suffering.

Meg Hillier: Guidance on severity assessment is set out in paragraphs 5.40 to 5.49 of the Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (HC321). The Guidance sets out the factors that must be taken into account by inspectors in exercising their professional judgment in determining and advising on severity, whether mild, moderate or substantial.

British Nationality: Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has received recent representations from the government of the Irish Republic on the grant of British passports and citizenship to Irish citizens living in the United Kingdom.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 6 May 2008
	The issue has been raised by individuals from both Houses, but there have been no recent representations from the government of the Irish Republic on this matter.

Closed Circuit Television

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to implement the National CCTV Strategy; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: A National CCTV Strategy Programme Board has been established. The programme board is reviewing the recommendations of the strategy and Ministers will have the opportunity to approve the work of the Board later this year.

Crime Prevention: Lancashire

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she was consulted in relation to the policy of Lancashire Police of giving free buttered toast to late night revellers to prevent violence; whether she plans to issue guidance to other police forces on the policy of giving food to deter potential troublemakers; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 28 April 2008
	There was no discussion between the Home Office and Lancashire Police on this issue. This is an operational matter for Lancashire Police. The Home Office has no plans to issue guidance on giving food to deter potential troublemakers.

Crime: Greater London

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) administration and  (b) sanction detections there were in relation to crimes in London in each of the last 10 years.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information is given in the following table.
	Within the recorded crime statistics, administrative detections are referred to as non-sanction detections. The number of non-sanction detections decreased significantly in 2006-07. This reflects a significant shift away from the use of non-sanction detections, where no further action is taken. Sanction detections are now viewed as the preferred measure, providing a more meaningful comparison of police performance.
	Some forces have made a policy decision to significantly limit their use of non-sanction detections in recent years. The greater focus on sanction detections was further emphasised by the move to the use of the sanction detection rate within the police performance assessment framework.
	 Recorded crime statistics for London region (metropolitan police  city of London)
	
		
			  Table 1: Offences detected by the police in London region: 1997 
			   Offences recorded  Total detections  Sanction detections  Non-sanction detections 
			 1997 796,862 203,692 (1) (1) 
			 1997-98 783,416 (2) (2) (2) 
			 (1 )Not available (2 )No detections data available for this period 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Offences detected by the police in London region: 1998-99 to 2001-02 
			   Offences recorded  Total detections  Sanction detections  Non-sanction detections 
			 1998-99 941,398 206,536 (1) (1) 
			 1999-2000 1,059,822 168,694 (1) (1) 
			 2000-01 1,001,861 150,759 121,290 29,469 
			 2001-02 1,066,606 151,521 127,783 23,738 
			 (1) Not available  Notes: 1. The coverage was extended and counting rules revised from 1998-99. This will have had an effect on the number of detections recorded. Figures from that date are not comparable with those for 1997. 2. The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Offences detected by the police in London region: 2002-03 to 2006-07( 1) 
			   Offences recorded  Total detections  Sanction detections  Non-sanction detections( 2) 
			 2002-03 1,089,903 159,717 138,810 20,907 
			 2003-04 1,070,177 166,008 137,303 28,705 
			 2004-05 1,023,806 217,142 151,359 65,783 
			 2005-06 992,557 236,223 181,684 54,539 
			 2006-07 929,752 199,630 197,449 (3)2,181 
			 (1) The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years. (2 )The large increases between 2002-03 and 2005-06 were as a result of positive action by the Metropolitan Police Service to increase the number of non-sanction detections. The issue of new rules from 1 April 2007, have severely limited the number of incidences when they can be applied. The Metropolitan police had anticipated these changes, issuing their own policy during 2006-07 that limited the use of non-sanction detections, this leading to a significant reduction in non-sanction detection numbers for that year. (3 )It should be noted that non-sanction detections that contribute to the percentage change in detection rates have fallen in recent years reflecting a significant shift by many police forces away from recording detections of crime where no further action is taken. For this reason overall detections rates over time are not fully comparable. From April 1 2007 the rules governing recording of non-sanction detections were revised to reduce the scope within which they can be claimed to a very limited set of circumstances.

Departmental Closed Circuit Television

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the extent to which closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) operated  (a) by and  (b) on behalf of her Department comply (i) with the Data Protection Act (ii) the CCTV Code of Practice published by the Information Commissioner and (iii) relevant BSI standards.

Vernon Coaker: No overall assessment has been made. It is the responsibility of the individual operators of the systems to ensure that they comply with the Data Protection Act, the CCTV code of practice and the relevant BSI standards.

Departmental NDPBs

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were serving on the boards of the non-departmental public bodies which her Department sponsors at the latest date for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The Cabinet Office publication 'Public Bodies 2007' lists the number of people serving on the boards of public bodies as at 31 March 2007. These figures are broken down by individual Departments. 'Public bodies 2007' can be downloaded from:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/public/bodies.asp.
	Copies are also available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether consideration has been given to applying gender responsive budgeting to her Department's budget.

Liam Byrne: The UK Government are supportive of efforts to achieve gender equality and continues to work very closely with both the Women's National Commission and the Women's Budget Group on promoting gender equality within the UK.
	The Home Office has a number of development programmes which support gender equality. These include Leaders of the Futurea positive action leadership programme aimed at the most talented staff. The aim is to prepare participants and maximise their potential for entry into the Senior Civil Service (SCS). It is designed for women, minority ethnic, disabled, lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) colleagues. More broadly a key aim of the new talent management system introduced for all Grade 6 and 7 staff is to improve SCS diversity.
	The department has also established a Diversity Strategy Programme Board to bring together Directors from across the business areas and agencies. The Board closely monitors progress and delivery of our 3-Year Diversity Strategy. We ensure that when selecting search and recruitment consultants that they have a good track record on diversity and produce a diverse long list. We also run events targeting black and minority ethnic, women, disabled and LGB staff into the Home Office at a senior level.
	We also fund on an ad hoc basis Home Office Women (HOW). HOW is the network for women and all those interested in women's issues across the Home Office Group.

Departmental Recruitment

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department and its agencies paid to recruitment consultants in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: Recruitment costs in the Home Department do not fall to a central budget. The Home Office frequently uses the same companies for recruitment services as it does for other services, including for example the employment of temporary staff. Although it can identify the total paid to those companies, it cannot separately determine the costs solely relating to recruitment without disproportionate costs.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time posts in her Department were filled on a temporary basis for a period in excess of six months in each of the last three years.

Liam Byrne: This information is available only at disproportionate cost.

Genetics: Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new profiles have been added to the national DNA database since September 2007, broken down by police force; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: It is understood that this question refers to the number of crime scene sample profiles added to the National DNA Database, since a separate question has been asked on the number of people added in each month from October 2007 to date.
	The number of crime scene samples added in each of the six months from October 2007 to March 2008 for all police forces is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  NDNADCrime scene profiles loaded by force and by month October 2007 - March 2008 
			   2007  2008  
			  Force  October  November  December  January  February  March  Total October 2007-March 2008 
			 Avon and Somerset 121 97 103 126 97 106 650 
			 Bedfordshire 35 33 26 25 27 29 175 
			 British Transport 42 40 21 36 54 70 263 
			 Cambridgeshire 41 53 30 43 27 68 262 
			 Cheshire 107 94 105 100 95 91 592 
			 City of London police 4 11 6 9 6 3 39 
			 Cleveland 23 23 14 29 26 32 147 
			 Cumbria 36 34 24 38 30 33 195 
			 Derbyshire 72 50 38 67 58 51 336 
			 Devon and Cornwall 55 58 42 72 79 46 352 
			 Dorset 27 25 18 30 34 20 154 
			 Durham 43 24 29 38 33 32 199 
			 Dyfed-Powys 12 6 8 7 4 7 44 
			 Essex 82 92 81 75 101 104 535 
			 Gloucestershire 10 15 11 11 11 16 74 
			 Greater Manchester police 312 297 199 260 226 269 1,563 
			 Gwent 50 40 27 49 43 48 257 
			 Hampshire 85 98 74 93 93 89 532 
			 Hertfordshire 47 49 41 52 56 49 294 
			 Humberside 96 96 51 59 65 96 463 
			 Kent 173 199 142 195 217 191 1,117 
			 Lancashire 119 105 91 132 127 88 662 
			 Leicestershire 61 42 51 29 54 54 291 
			 Lincolnshire 44 42 41 24 31 41 223 
			 Merseyside 129 134 118 133 114 132 760 
			 Metropolitan police 634 691 488 709 566 649 3,737 
			 Norfolk 52 55 40 75 56 71 349 
			 North Wales 67 55 49 73 52 49 345 
			 North Yorkshire 21 20 17 26 22 42 148 
			 Northamptonshire 94 65 42 54 66 61 382 
			 Northumbria 104 88 80 89 104 139 604 
			 Nottinghamshire 67 46 47 78 47 33 318 
			 South Wales Constabulary 93 73 68 115 81 87 517 
			 South Yorkshire 91 92 52 88 105 116 544 
			 Staffordshire 88 73 57 70 62 58 408 
			 Suffolk 56 39 34 44 40 30 243 
			 Surrey 70 73 60 87 73 65 428 
			 Sussex 182 166 101 160 158 137 904 
			 Thames Valley 130 110 102 147 139 140 768 
			 Warwickshire police 32 19 23 18 19 13 124 
			 West Mercia 78 61 64 55 67 59 384 
			 West Midlands 234 182 160 180 196 208 1,160 
			 West Yorkshire 173 175 128 181 205 207 1,069 
			 Wiltshire 23 31 23 13 23 13 126 
			 Other non-England and Wales forces(1) 146 679 143 137 227 186 1,518 
			 Total 4,261 4,550 3,169 4,131 4,016 4,128 24,255 
			 (1)Eight Scottish forces, PSNI, Jersey, Guernsey, Ministry of Defence Police etc.

Genetics: Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of DNA profiles added to the DNA database in each year since it became operational are from samples taken at crime scenes; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: The following table gives the numbers of crime scene profiles added to the National DNA Database (NDNAD) in each year of its operation, and what percentage these were of the total profiles added that year.
	
		
			   Crime scene profiles loaded  Percentage of total profiles loaded (crime scene profiles and subject sample profiles) 
			 1995-96 1,887 5.37 
			 1996-97 5,084 6.01 
			 1997-98 12,886 9.11 
			 1998-99 13,202 4.94 
			 1999-2000 18,037 7.63 
			 2000-01 28,593 6.75 
			 2001-02 40,984 7.53 
			 2002-03 61,431 11.17 
			 2003-04 60,226 11.25 
			 2004-05 59,247 10.21 
			 2005-06 68,774 8.77 
			 2006-07 55,217 7.10 
			 April 2007 to February 2008 44,946 7.83 
			 Total 470,514 8.50 
			  Notes: 1. The subject sample profile data used in the final column are for all United Kingdom police forces (i.e. subject sample profiles taken by police forces in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey etc.) 2. The data on crime scene sample profiles are for all United Kingdom police forces, but do not include all Scottish crime scene sample profiles. Crime scene sample profiles taken by Scottish police forces are loaded to the Scottish DNA Database in the first instance. Only those crime scene profiles for which no match is found on the Scottish DNA Database are added to the NDNAD.

Identity and Passport Service: Fishburn Hedges

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments the Identity and Passport Service made to Fishburn Hedges in each of the last five years; on what dates; and for what purpose in each case.

Meg Hillier: The Identity and Passport Service has not made any payments to Fishburn Hedges during any of the last five years.

Identity Cards: Foreigners

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the cost of introducing identity cards for foreign nationals in the UK.

Liam Byrne: The latest estimate for the cost of introducing identity cards for foreign nationals is planned to be published on 6 May 2008 in the document 'Identity Cards Act 2006Section 37 Report to Parliament about the Likely Costs of the ID Cards Scheme'. The document will be available to Members in the parliamentary Libraries.
	This report is published every six months and contains the most recent estimate for the costs of introducing identity cards for foreign nationals.

Immigration: Detention Centres

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken in relation to illegal immigrants detained in police or immigration custody in circumstances where there is a lack of capacity within the immigration detention estate.

Liam Byrne: Detainees can be held in police cells or Short Term Holding Facilities for a maximum of five nights, or seven nights if removal directions are in place. Within this period they are expected to be removed from the United Kingdom, transferred into suitable long term accommodation, or released.
	Alternatives to detention are considered for those who are released from detention such as reporting conditions which restricts an individual's place of residence, employment or occupation, physically reporting to a police or an immigration reporting centre and electronic monitoring.

Internet: Security

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions her Department has had with the European Commission on cyber-security; and what contribution the UK is making to Commissioner Reding's proposed cyber-defence plan.

Vernon Coaker: My Department, as well as officials from several other Departments, have regular discussions with Commission officials on aspects of cyber-security. This year officials have taken part in workshops on the electronic aspects of the programme for European Critical Infrastructure protection. Officials have also worked with Commission officials on the ongoing work of the European Network and Information Security Agency and attended workshops to discuss ideas for the proposed Communication on Critical Information Infrastructure Protections that will be issued by Mrs Reding's Directorate of the Commission.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister of State will reply to the letter, dated 25 March 2008, about visas for Chernobyl children.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 6 May 2008
	The International Group of the UK Border Agency wrote to the hon. Member on 29 April 2008.

Offenders: Deportation

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals are being held in prisons in Wales beyond the end of their sentence awaiting deportation, broken down by  (a) prison and  (b) country of origin.

Liam Byrne: The information requested can be provided through the examination of individual case files only at disproportionate cost. The chief executive of the UK Border Agency advised in her letters of 20 November and 17 December 2007 to the Home Affairs Committee that there were 1,500 foreign national prisoners detained upon completion of their sentence. She also advised during her appearance before the Committee on 15 January this year that a significant number of foreign national prisoners come from Jamaica, Nigeria, China and Vietnam.

Peterborough Prison: Foreigners

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals held at HMP Peterborough were deported on completion of their sentence in each month since March 2005; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The information requested can be obtained only through the detailed examination of individual casefiles at disproportionate cost in order to ascertain the number of individuals that had been detained at HMP Peterborough.

Police: Road Traffic Control

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average  (a) number of police officers and  (b) proportion of each police force employed in speed enforcement on roads was in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: While information is collected on the number of police officers primarily employed in the function 'traffic', it is not possible to show the number or proportion of police officers specifically employed in speed enforcement as this is only part of their duties.
	The available data are for the number of full-time equivalent police officers primarily employed in the function 'traffic', and are given in the following table.
	The deployment of police officers to speed enforcement activity is an operational matter for individual chief officers and police authorities.
	
		
			  Police officers (FTE)( 1)  whose primary function is Traffic( 2)  from 2002-03 to 2006-07 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-006  2006-007 
			 Avon and Somerset 216 222 228 215 148 
			 Bedfordshire 75 80 80 81 68 
			 Cambridgeshire 85 99 101 99 96 
			 Cheshire 194 200 194 85 91 
			 Cleveland 64 73  61 72 
			 Cumbria 107 110 108 111 114 
			 Derbyshire 107 121 116 119 110 
			 Devon and Cornwall 192 198 211 215 225 
			 Dorset 91 86 82 81 80 
			 Durham 111 119 108 105 100 
			 Essex 241 242 243 243 231 
			 Gloucestershire 62 66 67 73 67 
			 Greater Manchester 406 392 359 342 352 
			 Hampshire 248 246 244 240 237 
			 Hertfordshire 150 151 149 149 145 
			 Humberside 123 119 225 181 100 
			 Kent 104  122 116 109 
			 Lancashire 198 187 190 197 184 
			 Leicestershire 92 95 85 77 72 
			 Lincolnshire 90 89 96 102 100 
			 London, City of 24 24 28 24 23 
			 Merseyside 125 119 115 138 150 
			 Metropolitan Police 583 592 1029 603 611 
			 Norfolk 120 121 107 112 110 
			 Northamptonshire 70 71 65 63 63 
			 Northumbria 245 253 165 167 172 
			 North Yorkshire 151 138 101 97 99 
			 Nottinghamshire  121 133 134 139 
			 South Yorkshire 180 127 134 141 143 
			 Staffordshire 50 49 58 28 35 
			 Suffolk 68 72 76 80 77 
			 Surrey 108 110 107 99 87 
			 Sussex 164 163 163 160 169 
			 Thames Valley 259 259 245 236 237 
			 Warwickshire 103 103 93 97 93 
			 West Mercia 292 115 117 116 129 
			 West Midlands 384 405 393 401 383 
			 West Yorkshire 320 314 317 343 324 
			 Wiltshire 91 96 93  89 
			 Dyfed Powys 136 105 141 143 136 
			 Gwent 93 95 96 102 95 
			 North Wales 115 114 76 81 98 
			 South Wales 243 245 243 243 252 
			 (1) This and other tables contain full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items. 2. Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The traffic function includes staff who are predominantly employed on motorcycles or in patrol vehicles for the policing of traffic and motorway related duties. The does not include officers employed in accident investigation, vehicle examination and radar duties.

Security Guards: Licensing

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role her Department has in determining the fees charged by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) for licences; what plans she has to meet SIA representatives to discuss licence fees; and what assessment she has made of the effects of SIA licence fees on the security industry.

Vernon Coaker: The Secretary of State, by using section 8(7) of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, sets the fee to be paid on application for an SIA licence. The fee is set by means of a statutory instrument made by negative resolution procedure. The current fee of 245 has been in place since 6 April 2007 and was set under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (Licences) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/810).
	The SIA is required to be self-funding. The fee is not set to make a profit. Home Office officials are regularly in touch with the SIA to discuss a range of financial matters including the licence fee.
	Consideration of the impact of SIA licence fees on the security industry was contained in a regulatory impact assessment published in January 2007 in connection with an increase in the fee from 190 to 245 (Updated Regulatory Impact Assessment to Reflect New Licence Application Fee and Charges published in January 2007 and updated in March 2007 http://www.the-sia.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8179D6CO-8B48-47CA-937D-DFB6A5COFF01/0/sia_licence_fee_ria.pdf).

Wildlife: Crime

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will instigate a joint review by the police and prosecution inspectorates into wildlife crime in England.

Vernon Coaker: The work of the Inspectorates, both singly and jointly, is increasingly subject to risk assessment to ensure that it's targeted on those issues that are of greatest concern to the public and to local communities. In recent years this has included such issues as tackling serious and organised crime and addressing counter terrorism.
	Wildlife crime is not one of the subjects for joint inspection agreed for 2008-09. The topics for inspection were subjected to comprehensive consultation and then prioritised through risk assessment. The issue of wildlife crime did not feature from any of the consultees and was not part of the long list for 2008-09 or the final list that has been decided.
	For the Home Secretary to instigate inspection activity associated with wildlife crime it would have to be clear which aspects meet the threshold and how inspection would add value or improve performance in this issue.
	The Home Office has recently announced that it will contribute 150,000 per year for three years to the National Wildlife Crime Unit. Government officials will be working closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the NWCU to monitor the outcomes achieved through this funding.

HEALTH

Allergies

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the adequacy of the training undertaken by  (a) medical students and  (b) GPs in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies.

Ann Keen: The Department is not responsible for setting curricula for health professional training. Each University determines their own curriculum in the light of recommendations from employers and the regulatory bodies. However, we do share a commitment with statutory and professional bodies that all health professionals are trained, so that they have the skills and knowledge to deliver a high quality health service to all groups of the population with whom they deal, whatever their condition.

Breast Cancer

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the relative prevalence of breast cancer among  (a) black and  (b) white women; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Department does not hold information on the relative prevalence of breast cancer among black women and white women. We are, however, working on models of assessing prevalence and we are developing techniques that will allow us to assess prevalence broken down by ethnic minority grouping.

Cancer

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the summary of the 2004 to 2007 national cancer peer review process.

Ann Keen: A copy of the Handbook for the National Cancer Peer Review Process has been placed in the Library.

Cancer: Screening

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of expansion in cancer screening programmes on demand for the services of pathology laboratories; and what steps he is taking to monitor the capacity of Government laboratories to support such screening.

Ann Keen: The extensions to the national health service cancer screening programmes outlined in the Cancer Reform Strategy are national requirements within the Operating Framework. For the NHS in England 2008-09 as set out in Operational Plans 2008-09 to 2010-11 (Implementing the 2008-09 Operating Framework, National planning Guidance and 'vital signs'.), published on 31 January 2008. Primary care trust (PCT) operational plans will need to reflect the requirements, including the demand for the services of pathology laboratories. It is for strategic health authorities working in partnership with their PCTs, local screening services and stakeholders to provide appropriate cancer screening services for their local populations, including appropriate pathology services.
	The Independent Review of NHS Pathology Services in England, chaired by Lord Carter of Coles, was set up in 2005, and published an interim report in 2006. The review is expected to make recommendations which build on those in its interim report, for example on the configuration of pathology services, workforce modernisation and information technology connectivity, to achieve greater efficiency and enable pathology services to meet increasing demand.

Cancer: Urinary System

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1454W, on cancer: urinary system, whether the Kent Cancer Network has agreed an Improving Outcomes Guidance implementation plan with the NHS Cancer Action Team; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Kent Cancer Network has submitted a urological cancer improving outcomes guidance (IOG) implementation plan to the National Health Service Cancer Action Team (CAT). The plan is not yet fully compliant with the IOG and discussions between the CAT and Kent Cancer Network are ongoing.

Carbon Monoxide: Poisoning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished episodes of care relating to carbon monoxide poisoning were provided by the NHS in the latest year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The Information Centre for health and social care holds data on the number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) to hospital in which the patient had a primary or secondary diagnosis of T58 Toxic effect of carbon monoxide.
	There were 626 FCEs in 2006-07.

Cardiovascular System: Screening

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms he plans to use to deliver free vascular checks to 40 to 74 year olds.

Ann Keen: On 1 April 2008, the Department published Putting Prevention First, copies of this publication are available in the Library. This outlined the initial analysis which has confirmed that a programme to reach everybody between the ages of 40 and 74, to check their vascular risk and provide them with an individual assessment, would be both clinically and cost effective.
	The next step is to develop an implementation and delivery programme with key stakeholders. Stakeholders will play a crucial role in helping to formulate proposals for the vascular check programme. We expect that general practice will have an important role in delivery but other organisations, such as pharmacies, are also likely to be involved.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects on services for children and young people with myalgic encephalopathy of the closure of specialist units in  (a) Leeds,  (b) the Lister hospital, Stevenage and  (c) St. Thomas's hospital, London; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: We have made no assessment of the impact on services for children and young people by the closure of these specialist units. Local health bodies have a duty to commission health and social care services to meet the needs of their local population, including those living with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to  (a) ensure implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidelines on the treatment of myalgic encephalopathy (ME) published in August 2007,  (b) reduce the time taken to diagnose ME,  (c) increase the allocation of funds for research into ME and the delivery of effective care and treatment,  (d) reduce inconsistencies in levels of ME care across primary care trusts and  (e) assess the availability of services to (i) children and (ii) adults with ME.

Ann Keen: Health professionals are expected to use their clinical judgement taking into account best practice and existing clinical guidelines, including those produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), to provide the most appropriate treatment for the individual living with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).
	Diagnosis for CFS/ME can be prolonged as there is no specific test for this condition and other diseases with similar symptoms must be ruled out before a diagnosis can be made. The NICE guidance provides a list of medical tests that should be used to rule out other conditions.
	The Medical Research Council is responsible for allocating funding for medical research, and does not ring-fence funding for specific conditions. Funding for individual research proposals is based on an assessment of the quality of each proposal by an independent panel. Local health bodies are responsible for commissioning health and social care services to meet the needs of their local population living with CFS/ME.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure primary care trusts meet the recommendations of the new guidelines on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome produced in August 2007 by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken to diagnose myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ann Keen: Health professionals are expected to use their clinical judgment taking into account best practice and existing clinical guidelines, including those produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), to provide the most appropriate treatment for the individual living with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).
	Diagnosis for CFS/ME can be prolonged as there is no specific test for this condition and other diseases with similar symptoms must be ruled out before a diagnosis can be made. The NICE guidance provides a list of medical tests that should be used to rule out other conditions.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects to publish the National Service Framework for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether he plans to include diagnostic testing for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder in the proposed NHS Health MOTs; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what his estimate is of the financial assistance needed for primary care trusts in England to meet the requirements of the proposed National Service Framework for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what guidance he plans to give to primary care trusts on incorporating an awareness campaign for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in local pharmacy contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) External Reference Group is finalising its advice to Ministers on the proposed markers of good practice from prevention through to end of life care. This advice will then be considered by Ministers and options developed for implementation. This will include options for diagnostic testing, considering how best we can utilise services provided by pharmacies to improve the care of people with COPD and estimates of the financial assistance needed to implement the recommendations. We plan to publish our conclusions by the end of 2008.

Colorectal Cancer: Screening

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to address the regional variations in the promotion of screening for bowel cancer.

Ann Keen: It is for strategic health authorities working in partnership with their primary care trusts, local screening services and stakeholders to provide appropriate cancer screening services for their local populations, including the promotion of local screening services.

Dental Services

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of units of dental activity in England carried forward to 2008-09 from 2007-08.

Ann Keen: This information is not available. For dental activity reporting purposes the year 2007-08 has not yet ended. Dental providers have until the end of May to submit all their activity reports for activity delivered during 2007-08.

Dental Services: Children

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of schoolchildren in England between the ages of six and nine who have received treatment as part of a screening programme since his Department's guidance on dental screening (inspection) was issued in January 2007; what the effect on expenditure on salaried primary dental care resources or equivalent was in England as a result of implementing this guidance; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: One of the reasons why the National Screening Committee advised that dental screening in schools should be discontinued was that a large randomised controlled trial demonstrated that school dental screening was ineffective in reducing levels of untreated dental disease and increasing attendance at dental practitioners. Information is not held centrally from which we could make an estimate of the number of children which continue to be screened, but we understand that most primary care trusts have ceased to undertake screening. We did not make this change in policy to cut costs. Our guidance recommends that the resources freed up be used to reduce inequalities in oral health by, for example, boosting the capacity of salaried dental services to reduce waiting times for special needs groups or for those children and adults who are unable to receive treatment through general dental services.

Dental Services: Contracts

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of dental contracts allocating units of dental activity (UDAs) awarded in England since their introduction; and how many contract holders did not reach their targets for UDAs in 2007-08.

Ann Keen: Information on the number of contracts awarded is not available in the requested format and could only be made available in this format at disproportionate cost. Information is available on the number of whole and part year contracts initially agreed in April 2006 at the start of the new dental system and on the number of contracts which ran for the whole year period of 2006-07. This information is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Contracts  Numbers 
			 Contracts agreed in April 2006(1) 8,377 
			 Contracts which were live for the whole of 2006-07(2) 7,990 
			 (1) Source Department of Health (2) Source NHS Business Services Authority Dental Services Division. 
		
	
	Information on the number of contracts that delivered less than the activity contracted for in 2007-08 is not available. For dental activity reporting purposes the year 2007-08 has not yet ended, Dental providers have until the end of May to submit all their activity reports for activity delivered during 2007-08.

Dental Services: Negligence

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many actions for clinical negligence have been brought against dentists doing NHS work in each year since 2005.

Ann Keen: The information requested is in the following table and was supplied by the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA). The data only covers claims made against NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts or primary care trusts providing dentistry; information is not held centrally relating to dentists working under independent contracts.
	
		
			  Number of claims against NHS employed dentists by notification year to the NHSLA 
			  NHSLA notification year  Number 
			 2005-06 42 
			 2006-07 44 
			 2007-08 60 
			 Total 146

Dental Services: Stroud

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to improve access to NHS dentistry in Stroud constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: I refer my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud to the written answer I gave him on 24 April,  Official Report, column 2168W.

Departmental NDPBs

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were serving on the boards of the non-departmental public bodies which his Department sponsors at the latest date for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The Cabinet Office publication Public bodies 2007 lists the number of people serving on the boards of public bodies as at 31 March 2007. These figures are broken down by individual Departments. Copies of Public bodies 2007 are available in the Library and also at:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/public/bodies.asp.

Diabetes: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on implementing the NHS Diabetes National Service Framework in Peterborough constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Responsibility for implementing the Diabetes National Service Framework rests with the national health service, and it is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to commission services that meet the needs of their local population.
	Screening for diabetic retinopathy was a target in the Diabetes National Service Framework and has been included in the operating framework for the NHS in England 2008-09. Where (PCTs) are failing to deliver the standard set for diabetic retinopathy, they are obliged to agree recovery plans with their strategic health authorities to ensure improvement. From February 2008, Peterborough PCT began offering screening to all people with diabetes to national standards.

Eastern and Coastal Kent Primary Care Trust: Cleaning Services

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to  (a) Eastern and Coastal Kent Primary Care Trust and  (b) East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust for deep cleaning.

Ann Keen: All trusts were required to submit and agree costed deep clean plans with primary care trusts in their area by 14 December 2007 and this process has been monitored and assessed by strategic health authorities (SHAs).
	As set out in the written ministerial statement given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, on 21 April 2008,  Official Report, column 93-94WS, information provided by SHAs shows that they have all made available the funding they promised for the programme. Further information on the implementation of the deep clean of the national health service is available from SHAs.

Eating Disorders: North West

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the  (a) need for and  (b) (i) current and (ii) planned future provision of treatment of eating disorders in each primary care trust in the North West.

Ivan Lewis: Decisions on the planning and provision of treatment for eating disorders are a matter for individual primary care trusts (PCTs). Financial allocations are made directly to individual PCTs as these organisations are best placed to know the needs of the communities they serve and to commission services accordingly.

Embryonic Stem Cells

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many embryonic stem cells exist in the United Kingdom; and how much expenditure has been incurred in acquiring them.

Dawn Primarolo: We assume that the hon. Member's question refers to embryonic stem cell lines. The Department does not hold information on how many animal embryonic stem cell lines there are in the United Kingdom. As of the beginning of April 2008, 63 human embryonic stem cell lines had been deposited with the UK stem cell bank (UKSCB). The UKSCB does not pay to acquire these lines.

Eyesight: Testing

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the factors influencing the take-up rate of free sight tests for people aged 60 and over; and if he will take steps to increase the take-up rate;
	(2)  when he last met national professional and representative optical bodies to discuss free sight tests for people aged 60 and over.

Ann Keen: The Department has not made an assessment of the factors influencing the take-up rate of free national health service sight tests for people aged 60 and over or met with the national professional and representative optical bodies to discuss free sight tests for people aged 60 and over. Sight tests continue to increase from 4.1 million sight tests for those aged over 60 in 2003-04 to 4.5 million sight tests for those aged over 60 in 2006-07.

General Practitioners: Finance

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether payments made by primary care trusts to general practitioners as part of the Access Directed Enhanced Services payments system are based on per head of population registered on the National Health Application Infrastructure Service (Exeter) system.

Ben Bradshaw: Payments made by primary care trusts to primary medical care contractors under the improved access scheme directed enhanced service, are based on per head of practice population registered on the National Health Application Infrastructure Service (Exeter) system.

General Practitioners: Public Participation

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of those registered on the National Health Application Infrastructure Service (Exeter) were surveyed as part of the GP patient survey, Your doctor, your experience, your say access survey in  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05,  (c) 2005-06,  (d) 2006-07 and  (e) 2007-08, broken down by primary care trust.

Ben Bradshaw: In 2006-07, the first year of the general practitioner (GP) patient survey, 9.8 per cent. of patients registered on the National Health Application Infrastructure Service (Exeter) were invited to take part in the GP patient survey. The breakdown by primary care trust (PCT) is shown in the following table .
	The survey data for 2007-08 is currently being processed by Ipsos MORI, the appointed survey provider, and remains restricted and unavailable until official publication by the Information Centre for health and social care. Publication has been confirmed for the week commencing 14 July 2008.
	
		
			  Percentage of patients registered on the National Health Application Infrastructure Service (Exeter) surveyed in the GP patient survey 2006-07 by PCT 
			  PCT name  Registered population  Distributed surveys  Percentage (register ed  population/distributed population) 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 327,779 33,537 10.2 
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 178,197 30,599 17.2 
			 Barnet PCT 344,581 50,183 14.6 
			 Barnsley PCT 261,936 26,948 10.3 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 115,689 5,771 5.0 
			 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 178,469 16,524 9.3 
			 Bedfordshire PCT 394,989 30,512 7.7 
			 Berkshire East PCT 380,919 30,631 8.0 
			 Berkshire West PCT 436,117 30,701 7.0 
			 Bexley Care Trust 207,699 20,294 9.8 
			 Birmingham East and North PCT 460,911 61,286 13.3 
			 Blackburn with Darwen PCT 167,670 20,444 12.2 
			 Blackpool PCT 170,987 12,598 7.4 
			 Bolton PCT 291,180 37,481 12.9 
			 Bournemouth and Poole PCT 342,142 30,948 9.0 
			 Bradford and Airedale PCT 531,448 62,480 11.8 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 326,590 59,494 18.2 
			 Brighton and Hove City PCT 288,158 31,404 10.9 
			 Bristol PCT 431,329 37,890 8.8 
			 Bromley PCT 302,618 30,299 10.0 
			 Buckinghamshire PCT 486,305 31,652 6.5 
			 Bury PCT 188,327 21,740 11.5 
			 Calderdale PCT 203,488 16,721 8.2 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 572,193 42,992 7.5 
			 Camden PCT 253,642 38,999 15.4 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 447,024 26,754 6.0 
			 Central Lancashire PCT 460,618 53,067 11.5 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 278,587 45,015 16.2 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 550,731 43,961 8.0 
			 County Durham PCT 581,477 39,433 6.8 
			 Coventry Teaching PCT 352,455 39,096 11.1 
			 Croydon PCT 337,807 44,884 13.3 
			 Cumbria PCT 537,940 47,668 8.9 
			 Darlington PCT 104,469 5,081 4.9 
			 Derby City PCT 281,249 22,884 8.1 
			 Derbyshire County PCT 713,240 55,016 7.7 
			 Devon PCT 746,379 55,924 7.5 
			 Doncaster PCT 328,163 24,560 7.5 
			 Dorset PCT 403,090 26,027 6.5 
			 Dudley PCT 304,568 27,112 8.9 
			 Ealing PCT 341,707 62,986 18.4 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 527,054 35,822 6.8 
			 East Lancashire PCT 401,009 38,567 9.6 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 320,427 20,838 6.5 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 345,630 23,923 6.9 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 761,313 65,270 8.6 
			 Enfield PCT 271,978 45,175 16.6 
			 Gateshead PCT 227,066 19,708 8.7 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 577,468 46,918 8.1 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 238,615 13,974 5.9 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 259,476 41,332 15.9 
			 Halton and St. Helens PCT 343,398 30,393 8.9 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 183,915 26,630 14.5 
			 Hampshire PCT 1,214,618 84,033 6.9 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 266,162 53,536 20.1 
			 Harrow PCT 208,096 20,105 9.7 
			 Hartlepool PCT 104,314 8,100 7.8 
			 Hastings and Rother PCT 191,325 20,303 10.6 
			 Havering PCT 241,372 32,153 13.3 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 315,211 66,114 21.0 
			 Herefordshire PCT 183,004 12,063 6.6 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 227,434 20,482 9.0 
			 Hillingdon PCT 254,322 34,620 13.6 
			 Hounslow PCT 251,117 45,002 17.9 
			 Hull PCT 287,979 33,021 11.5 
			 Isle of Wight Healthcare PCT 147,030 9,641 6.6 
			 Islington PCT 241,764 36,971 15.3 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 164,509 44,142 26.8 
			 Kingston PCT 161,582 19,700 12.2 
			 Kirklees PCT 398,952 47,863 12.0 
			 Knowsley PCT 178,646 19,288 10.8 
			 Lambeth PCT 344,309 47,237 13.7 
			 Leeds PCT 769,537 68,064 8.8 
			 Leicester City PCT 329,012 41,459 12.6 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 605,224 38,454 6.4 
			 Lewisham PCT 279,555 41,649 14.9 
			 Lincolnshire PCT 751,226 55,244 7.4 
			 Liverpool PCT 543,478 73,107 13.5 
			 Luton Teaching PCT 192,024 24,331 12.7 
			 Manchester PCT 596,951 84,191 14.1 
			 Medway Teaching PCT 257,399 40,750 15.8 
			 Mid Essex PCT 328,559 26,478 8.1 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 164,649 13,797 8.4 
			 Milton Keynes PCT 216,672 19,486 9.0 
			 Newcastle PCT 290,486 24,418 8.4 
			 Newham PCT 311,286 64,975 20.9 
			 Norfolk PCT 744,826 55,382 7.4 
			 North East Essex PCT 319,211 27,807 8.7 
			 North East Lincolnshire PCT 172,288 19,395 11.3 
			 North Lancashire PCT 356,600 20,434 5.7 
			 North Lincolnshire PCT 173,501 12,658 7.3 
			 North Somerset PCT 200,501 12,666 6.3 
			 North Staffordshire PCT 215,632 22,607 10.5 
			 North Tees PCT 191,211 15,574 8.1 
			 North Tyneside PCT 217,804 17,790 8.2 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 773,032 54,639 7.1 
			 Northamptonshire PCT 653,547 44,424 6.8 
			 Northumberland Care Trust 336,229 25,543 7.6 
			 Nottingham City PCT 324,298 43,908 13.5 
			 Nottinghamshire County PCT 654,976 50,688 7.7 
			 Oldham PCT 247,646 25,138 10.2 
			 Oxfordshire PCT 596,465 42,571 7.1 
			 Peterborough PCT 166,242 18,226 11.0 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 261,429 26,610 10.2 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 182,045 19,447 10.7 
			 Redbridge PCT 234,835 31,737 13.5 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 159,596 11,904 7.5 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 179,273 17,185 9.6 
			 Rotherham PCT 266,319 21,244 8.0 
			 Salford PCT 260,179 35,318 13.6 
			 Sandwell PCT 342,027 38,710 11.3 
			 Sefton PCT 296,752 31,032 10.5 
			 Sheffield PCT 542,219 58,818 10.8 
			 Shropshire County PCT 294,199 25,323 8.6 
			 Solihull PCT 207,680 18,018 8.7 
			 Somerset PCT 517,491 41,180 8.0 
			 South Birmingham PCT 387,551 42,208 10.9 
			 South East Essex PCT 331,284 40,846 12.3 
			 South Gloucestershire PCT 217,505 17,157 7.9 
			 South Staffordshire PCT 580,641 56,810 9.8 
			 South Tyneside PCT 168,988 14,548 8.6 
			 South West Essex PCT 395,357 53,663 13.6 
			 Southampton City PCT 241,405 18,503 7.7 
			 Southwark PCT 293,245 46,869 16.0 
			 Stockport PCT 284,478 33,070 11.6 
			 Stoke on Trent PCT 290,022 28,131 9.7 
			 Suffolk PCT 580,591 38,312 6.6 
			 Sunderland Teaching PCT 314,301 32,297 10.3 
			 Surrey PCT 1,064,244 76,547 7.2 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 363,391 36,604 10.1 
			 Swindon PCT 190,519 17,719 9.3 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 243,529 20,931 8.6 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 157,431 14,209 9.0 
			 Torbay Care Trust 145,592 10,658 7.3 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 239,528 36,931 15.4 
			 Trafford PCT 224,714 17,024 7.6 
			 Wakefield District PCT 368,085 12,448 3.4 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 271,949 36,696 13.5 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 248,913 51,905 20.9 
			 Wandsworth PCT 287,208 43,196 15.0 
			 Warrington PCT 194,469 17,525 9.0 
			 Warwickshire PCT 524,093 37,289 7.1 
			 West Essex PCT 266,554 21,607 8.1 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 530,176 21,445 4.0 
			 West Kent PCT 643,922 38,974 6.1 
			 West Sussex PCT 793,053 58,106 7.3 
			 Western Cheshire PCT 260,407 50,567 19.4 
			 Westminster PCT 238,159 43,370 18.2 
			 Wiltshire PCT 433,583 33,069 7.6 
			 Wirral PCT 366,046 29,388 8.0 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 272,179 37,121 13.6 
			 Worcestershire PCT 537,364 37,121 6.9 
			 England 53,126,550 5,219,763 9.8

Genito-Urinary Medicine

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons developing Payment by Results in the area of sexual health services was not chosen as a priority, as stated in his Department's document, Options for the Future of Payment by Results 2008-09 to 2010-11 response to consultation, published on 24 January 2008.

Ben Bradshaw: The response to the consultation that the Department published on 24 January is a summary of responses, and not a detailed work programme. This is made clear in the document.
	The identification of five priority areas (mental health, community services, critical care, urgent and emergency care and long term conditions) for future work by the Payment by Results (PbR) team was based on responses received to the consultation and available development resources. The five areas referred to each received more than 24 responses identifying them as priorities. Sexual health services received only a fraction of this level of support.
	However, the Government set a target to offer everyone who needs it an appointment at a genito-urinary medicine clinic within 48 hours by March 2008. In February 2008, 97 per cent. of patients were offered an appointment to be seen, and 84 per cent. were seen within 48 hours. In May 2005, only 45 per cent. were offered an appointment to be seen within 48 hours.
	Although sexual health was not highlighted as a national priority for PbR in the recent consultation exercise, this does not preclude local work being undertaken. The consultation encouraged local areas to apply to be development sites to pilot and evaluate local currencies for services outside the scope of the national tariff.
	As a result, there are two developments sites looking at sexual health issues. One project, supported by the Department's sexual health team, is working to develop a tariff for HIV outpatients. The other project involves Portsmouth City Teaching Primary Care Trust investigating appropriate funding models for contraception services.
	Further information on the work of these particular development sites can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/Financeandplanning/NHSFinancialReforms/DH_083408

Health Services: Essex

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been allocated for public relations in the budgets of each primary care trust in Essex in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 1 May 2008
	 This is matter for local primary care trusts (PCTs). There is no separate allocation made to PCTs for public relations, and information on the budgets for public relations for each of the primary care trusts in Essex is not held centrally.
	Revenue allocations are made to PCTs on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. It is for PCTs to determine how best to use the funding allocated to them, and to commission services to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations.
	The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this matter locally.

Health Services: Hearing Impaired

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much funding was provided for support services for deaf people in each region in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to improve health services for deaf people.

Ivan Lewis: Information on funding provided for support services for deaf people is not held centrally. Funding for audiology and support services for deaf people, along with the majority of other services, is provided through the general allocations to national health service trusts and social services departments. It is their responsibility to allocate resources to audiology services based on their knowledge of the needs of their local populations and the resources available.
	Primary care trusts are responsible for commissioning the full range of health services for their local populations including deaf people, and for ensuring that they meet their capacity needs through improving existing NHS services, and where necessary, by procurement of additional independent sector capacity.

Health Services: Pilot Schemes

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects the NHS Whole System Demonstrator pilots in  (a) Newham,  (b) Kent and  (c) Cornwall to go live;
	(2)  which parties are involved in the delivery of the NHS Whole System Demonstrator pilots in  (a) Newham,  (b) Kent and  (c) Cornwall;
	(3)  which services will be offered to patients in the NHS whole system demonstrator pilots in  (a) Newham,  (b) Kent and  (c) Cornwall.

Ann Keen: Since summer 2007, the three successful whole system demonstrator (WSD) sites (Kent, Cornwall and Newham), have been engaged with a consortium of leading United Kingdom research institutions in a period of detailed methodology and process planning in order to define the evaluation design for the programme. In addition, the sites have been working to finalise their detailed implementation and delivery plans.
	The WSDs are now undertaking work at a local level to inform, engage and recruit general practices to the programme and press ahead with implementation of their delivery plans. Eligible individuals are being written to in order to gain their consent to involvement in the trial. As people agree to involvement in the trial they are being assessed and enrolled on the programme.
	From April 2008, people have started to provide their consent to involvement in the trial and implementation is now under way. Following the consent of an individual there are several steps before mainstream service begins, e.g. eligibility confirmation, home visit, base-line evaluation interview, installation of equipment and training. The roll-out is planned to build month by month over the first year, with the lessons learned in the early phase helping to optimise the process.
	Each of three WSD sites (Newham, Kent and Cornwall) is working with a variety of parties to implement local delivery plans.
	The key delivery partners, as set out in the plans from the sites, are listed in the following table. Each site however, has to work with a large number of stakeholder organisations. Age Concern, Breathe Easy and the Alzheimer's Society are also informing the roll-out. Similarly, a number of software suppliers provide the site legacy systems and are involved in the implementation.
	
		
			  Kent  
			 Key delivery partners Kent county councilKent Adult Social Services (KASS) 
			  East Kent and Coastal PCT 
			  West Kent PCT 
			  Viterion (supplier of TeleHealth) 
			  Tunstall (supplier of Telecare) 
			   
			  Cornwall  
			 Key delivery partners Cornwall and Isle of Scilly PCT 
			  Cornwall county council DASC 
			  HTL/WebVMC (supplier of Telehealth) 
			  Tunstall (supplier of Telecare) 
			  Carrick Life Line 
			  Caradon Life Line 
			  Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust 
			  Cornwall IT Services 
			  Newham  
			 Key delivery partners London borough of Newham (LBN) and Newham primary care trust (NPCT). Service provision for LBN and NPCT is under the auspices of Integrated Adult Services (IAS). 
			  Newham Homes 
			  Newham University Hospital NHS Trust (NUHT) 
			  Tunstall (supplier of Telecare) 
			  Philips (supplier of Telehealth) 
			  T+ Medical (supplier of Telehealth) 
			  Serco 
			  NHS Direct 
		
	
	The WSD Programme is driven by the need to understand the true benefit of integrated health and social care supported by advanced assistive technology (telecare and telehealth).
	The research design for the evaluation of the programme is a cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT), with allocation to intervention or control group determined by randomisation of participating GP practices (the clusters). Those in the control group will continue to receive 'usual care'. Participating users with the intervention group who meet the eligibility criteria will be offered Telehealth, Telecare or a combination of the two in addition to their 'usual care'. The exact nature of the technology package that an eligible participant receives will be determined by the cluster to which they belong and by assessment.
	The population groups who do not receive telecare/telehealth immediately will be reassessed to see if they are still eligible for these devices 12 months after their initial participation in the programme. In this way the control group have the opportunity to receive an intervention after a 12-month delay.

Health Visitors: Children

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of health visitors needed to deliver the Child Health Promotion programme.

Ann Keen: It is the responsibility of local organisations to commission and develop services to respond to local needs, including the recruitment of health visitors. The Operating Framework. For the NHS in England 2008-09 highlights the importance of children's services and the need for local organisations to commission and provide the necessary services and workforce.

HIV Infection: Tunbridge Wells

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Tunbridge Wells borough have been diagnosed with HIV and AIDS; and how many of those were diagnosed within the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: Epidemiological surveillance by the Health Protection Agency shows that there were 42 residents of Tunbridge Wells borough council in receiving HIV-related care in the United Kingdom 2006, latest year for which information is available. There were fewer than five individuals newly diagnosed with HIV in Tunbridge Wells borough council in 2007, although they were not necessarily resident there.

Human Embryo Experiments

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many human embryonic stem cell therapies have been developed in the UK; and how many clinical trials to develop such therapies are taking place;
	(2)  how many adult stem cell therapies have been developed in the UK; and how many clinical trials to develop such therapies are taking place.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not collect centrally information on clinical trials. There are advantages and disadvantages to using stem cells from a particular source, and it is still unknown which type will provide the most suitable material for a particular stem cell therapy. For this reason, researchers are continuing to explore the use of the full spectrum of stem cells in the hope of developing new clinical treatments, and this broad approach offers the greatest promise for medical advances.
	Currently, stem cells are used in successful, well-tested therapies available in the United Kingdom. They include skin grafting, transplantation of bone marrow or umbilical cord blood stem cells to treat certain cancers and immune system disorders, and the use of stem cells from the eye to treat corneal disorders.
	However, we are not aware of any clinical trials involving embryonic stem cells being carried out. One of the reasons is that no clinical grade, human embryonic stem cell-derived cell lines are available for use yet.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Finance

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority is for 2008-09; and how much of this is provided  (a) by central Government and  (b) by pharmaceutical companies.

Dawn Primarolo: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA's) operating income budget for 2008-09 is 97.9 million.
	Of the total income, 11.1 million is provided by the Department to fund the MHRA's work in the regulation of medical devices.
	The MHRA is a trading fund and the majority of its income is generated by fees for its medicines regulatory work which are mostly, but not exclusively, charged to the pharmaceutical industry. It monitors costs against fees charged and reviews its fee levels annually. Fees are set, in accordance with HM Treasury guidelines, with a view to achieving cost recovery for each activity for which it sets a charge. The MHRA is also expected to make a return of 3.5 per cent. of average capital employed paid as dividends to HM Treasury via the Department. For 2008-09 the MHRA's trading income budget is 86.8 million.

Mentally Ill: Community Care

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advocacy services will be made available for people subject to community treatment orders in the first six months of the operation of those orders.

Ivan Lewis: Although there will be no statutory requirement for independent mental health advocacy for people discharged from hospital under supervised community treatment until April 2009, general mental health advocacy will continue to be available in every strategic health authority area.

Mesothelioma: Screening

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what timetable he has set for the UK National Screening Committee to  (a) review the proposed screening programme for (i) mesothelioma and (ii) other asbestos-related illnesses and  (b) advise primary care trusts on such screening programmes.

Ann Keen: There are no proposals at present for the UK National Screening Committee to review and advise on screening for mesothelioma or other asbestos-related illnesses.

NHS: Anniversary

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to mark the 60(th) anniversary of the NHS  (a) nationally and  (b) locally; and how much this will cost (i) his Department and (ii) local trusts.

Ann Keen: The Department plans to mark the 60(th) anniversary of the NHS in a number of ways. At a national level, activities include a service of celebration at Westminster Abbey, a history of the NHS publication, and focusing annual events including NHS Live and Health and Social Care awards around the 60(th) anniversary. Locally, NHS organisations are encouraged to celebrate in the most appropriate way for their staff, patients and local communities.
	The Department has a budget of 300,000 for national activities and to support local NHS plans. As decisions for celebrating NHS 60 celebrations at a local level are not determined by the Departments we are unable to provide costs for local celebrations.

NHS: Cleaning Services

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to bring contracted-out NHS sterilisation services back in-house; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Hospital trusts and all other healthcare providers are responsible for making their own decisions on decontaminating their instruments, based on local needs. Decontamination can be carried out from either onsite or offsite facilities
	All organisations undertaking the decontamination reprocessing of surgical instrumentswhether managed by the national health service or by the independent sectormust comply with the standards contained within the Medical Devices Directive (93/42/EEC), copies of which are available in the Library. Trusts are responsible for specifying the services required, in line with the Health Act 2006 Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Health Care Associated Infections. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is responsible for monitoring compliance with the standard for contracted-out national health service sterilisation services.
	The Government have invested over 200 million in improving decontamination services in the NHS in England. We will continue to help hospital trusts to provide the highest standards of decontamination of instruments as part of their drive against healthcare- associated infection and to protect patient safety.

NHS: Conditions of Employment

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many organisations providing services to the NHS have direction employer status; and how many staff this covers.

Ann Keen: The NHS Pension Scheme resource accounts for 2006-07, the latest year for which accounts are available, show there were 360 organisations with direction body status. Precise information on the number of staff covered by direction body status is not available.

NHS: Pay

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when officials in his Department were first informed of the NHS Pay Review Body's recommendations for 2008-09.

Ann Keen: The NHS Pay Review Body's report for 2008-09 was submitted jointly to my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State on 4 April 2008.

Nurses: Students

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many students  (a) applied for and  (b) enrolled in returning to (i) nursing and (ii) midwifery courses in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what guidelines exist for the funding of returning to  (a) nursing and  (b) midwifery courses;
	(3)  how much was spent on the promotion of returning to  (a) nursing and  (b) midwifery courses in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: In the spring of 2004 and 2005, the Department ran a generic NHS careers campaign. Therefore, costs on promoting return to practice for nurses and midwives separately are not available.
	Return to practice is managed locally. The initiative was funded centrally between February 1999 and March 2004. Over 18,500 former nurses and midwives had returned to work in the national health service as a result of the initiative during this period.
	From 1 April 2004, responsibility for return to practice programmes was devolved to local NHS organisations, and information is not collected centrally. There are no specific guidelines on funding return to practice courses. NHS organisations fund courses from their overall training budgets to meet local workforce needs. Guidance about return to practice for employers is available on NHS Employers website at
	www.nhsemployers.org.
	On 25 February 2008, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State outlined plans to help former midwives to return to work in the NHS after a break in service. The incentives are worth up to 3,000, including free refresher training, and financial support during training for child care and travel expenses. The initiative will be launched jointly with the Royal College of Midwives in June.

Parkinson's Disease

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of people with Parkinson's disease in each of the last three years; and how many consulted a Parkinson's disease nurse specialist in each year;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the percentage of people with Parkinson's disease not referred to a specialist for diagnosis in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the level of support given to carers of those with Parkinson's disease.

Ann Keen: In The National Service Framework for long term conditions, published in 2005, we estimated that there were 120,000 people living with Parkinson's disease. That is the latest estimate available. The number of these patients who consulted a Parkinson's disease specialist is not collected. A copy of the publication is available in the Library
	We have made no estimate of the percentage of people with Parkinson's disease who were not referred to a specialist for diagnosis.
	We have made no assessment of the level of support given to carers of those living with Parkinson's disease.

Prostate Cancer

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1475W, on prostate cancer, in which primary care trust areas  (a) local and  (b) specialist urology teams did not review new patients presenting with urological cancer using a multi-disciplinary team.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not held by primary care trust area. However, the following tables set out the relevant information by national health service trust area.
	Local urology multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) non-compliant with Manual for cancer services 2004 measure 2G-114
	There should be an operational policy for the team whereby it is intended that all new cancer patients will be reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team
	as reviewed in the first round of the National Cancer Peer Review 2004-07 are as follows.
	
		
			  Trust  Team 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust MDTLancashire Teaching Hospitals 
			 Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust MDTWrightington, Wigan and Leigh 
			 Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust MDTAintree 
			 Wirral Hospital NHS Trust MDTWirral 
			 James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust MDTJames Paget 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust MDTEaling Hospital 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust MDTNorth Middlesex University Hospital 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust MDTRoyal Free 
			 Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Trust MDTGuys and St. Thomas 
			 Milton Keynes General Hospital NHS Trust MDTMilton Keynes General 
			 Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust MDTEast Surrey Hospital 
			 East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust MDTEastbourne 
		
	
	Specialist urology MDTs non-compliant with Manual for cancer services 2004 measure 2G-114
	There should be an operational policy for the team whereby it is intended that all new cancer patients will be reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team
	as reviewed in the first round of the National Cancer Peer Review 2004-07 are as follows.
	
		
			  Trust  Team 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Trust/Royal Free Hospital NHS Trust MDTNorth London Joint Cancer Centre 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust MDTPlymouth

Prostate Cancer

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1473W, on prostate cancer, what estimate he has made of the number of people who will have prostate cancer in  (a) 2011,  (b) 2016 and  (c) 2021.

Ann Keen: The Department has made the following estimates of the number of new cases of prostate cancer.
	
		
			   New cases (estimate) 
			 2011 29,625 
			 2016 33,026 
			 2021 36,703

Prostate Cancer

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to the answer of 23 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 1203-4W, on prostate cancer, whether he has consulted on revised Prostate Cancer Risk Management programme materials; and when he expects a relaunch of the packs to take place;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1214W, on prostate cancer, whether the Prostate Cancer Risk Management programme was discussed at the meeting with representatives of the Prostate Cancer Charter for Action of 7 November 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: I can confirm that the revision of the Prostate Cancer Risk Management programme (PCRMP) was discussed at my meeting with representatives of the Prostate Cancer Charter for Action on 7 November 2007. Subsequently representatives of the Charter have been members of a small group convened by national health service cancer screening programmes to consult on and oversee the revision of the PCRMP materials. This revision is ongoing, and an exercise seeking the views of key stakeholders will take place on the revised materials in May 2008 prior to the relaunch of the PCRMP in June 2008.

Prostate Cancer

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people he estimates will die from prostate cancer in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2011,  (c) 2016 and  (d) 2021.

Ann Keen: The Department has not made any such estimates.

Psychiatric Nurses

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychiatric nurses there were in each primary care trust in each year between 1999 and 2007.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not available in the format requested; such information as is available has been placed in the Library.
	The Department only collects data for England. Owing to the large number of reorganisations in the national health service for the requested period, we have supplied three tables for 1999-2000-prior to the formation of the primary care trustsfor 2001-05 showing the old PCTs and for 2006-07, showing the current PCTs.

Social Services

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people of working age in each local authority area received state-funded social care support in each of the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 28 April 2008
	Information on the estimated number of working-age people (aged 18-64) receiving state funded social care support from each council is shown in the following table. It should be noted that the data were first collected from all councils in 2000-01 and the latest year for which data are available is 2006-07.
	There are some issues to be aware of when comparing the data over time involving clients who were formally in receipt of higher rates of income support under the Department for Work and Pensions preserved rights scheme and clients receiving services being reinstated in 2004-05.
	
		
			  Number of clients aged 18-64 receiving services during the period by year, England, 1 April to 31 March 
			  Rounded number 
			Total number of clients receiving services 
			   Councils with social services responsibilities  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03( 1)  2003-04( 1)  2004-05( 1, 2)  2005-06( 1, 2)  2006-07( 1, 2) 
			   England 427,000 443,000 464,000 482,000 492,000 518,000 543,000 
			  
			   North East 19,585 23,810 26,450 30,140 28,000 31,000 34,000 
			   Shire Counties
			 116 Durham 3,925 4,540 5,150 6,540 7,110 7,220 8,115 
			 104 Northumberland 3,470 3,100 2,300 3,320 3,680 4,300 4,565 
			  
			   Unitary Authorities
			 117 Darlington 720 910 980 940 930 1,120 1,205 
			 111 Hartlepool 1,000 1,200 1,190 1,240 1,140 1,120 1,890 
			 112 Middlesbrough 1,900 1,910 1,470 1,430 1,770 1,890 2,015 
			 113 Redcar and Cleveland 1,075 1,170 1,150 1,110 1,310 1,500 1,575 
			 114 Stockton-on-Tees (3) 1,590 1,570 1,640 1,650 2,050 2,090 
			  
			   Metropolitan Districts
			 106 Gateshead 1,165 1,200 1,770 1,960 2,310 2,250 1,975 
			 107 Newcastle upon Tyne 4,160 2,320 4,340 4,440 2,160 3,600 3,220 
			 108 North Tyneside (3) 1,710 1,610 3,220 1,500 1,580 1,955 
			 109 South Tyneside (3) 1,900 (3) (3) 1,740 1,850 1,800 
			 110 Sunderland 2,170 2,260 2,330 2,260 2,300 2,400 3,275 
			  
			   North West 54,145 64,830 67,260 70,080 74,000 73,000 76,000 
			   Shire Counties
			 320 Cheshire 4,980 4,430 4,560 5,620 5,430 6,380 6,470 
			 102 Cumbria 2,440 3,310 3,660 3,420 3,930 5,140 5,115 
			 323 Lancashire 10,895 9,140 9,460 10,200 10,680 11,000 10,965 
			  
			   Unitary Authorities
			 324 Blackburn 1,410 1,290 1,170 1,120 1,060 1,210 1,195 
			 325 Blackpool 1,080 1,230 2,000 1,950 1,820 1,810 1,750 
			 321 Halton 840 860 1,000 1,270 1,360 1,340 1,365 
			 322 Warrington 1,680 3,590 2,120 1,940 1,670 1,780 2,025 
			  
			   Metropolitan Districts
			 304 Bolton 1,885 2,460 3,060 2,980 3,150 3,200 3,400 
			 305 Bury 805 1,000 1,620 1,810 2,480 2,340 2,615 
			 315 Knowsley 1,610 1,590 1,640 1,560 1,340 1,550 1,650 
			 316 Liverpool 4,085 4,290 4,480 4,870 4,920 4,950 4,660 
			 306 Manchester (3) (3) 3,260 3,770 3,810 4,450 5,110 
			 307 Oldham 7,000 6,260 4,200 3,830 3,920 2,960 3,290 
			 308 Rochdale (3) 1,830 2,370 2,310 1,870 1,960 2,365 
			 309 Salford (3) 3,160 2,610 2,770 3,520 3,020 3,185 
			 317 Sefton 3,150 3,230 1,990 2,100 2,210 2,710 2,805 
			 318 St. Helens 1,480 1,580 1,860 2,210 2,360 2,090 1,975 
			 310 Stockport 4,685 4,110 5,300 3,970 6,590 3,530 3,620 
			 311 Tameside 2,370 2,820 3,220 5,100 3,950 3,640 3,600 
			 312 Trafford 1,445 2,030 2,160 1,690 1,960 1,820 1,975 
			 313 Wigan (3) 2,330 2,450 2,360 2,390 2,920 3,620 
			 319 Wirral 2,310 2,940 3,080 3,200 3,150 3,260 3,270 
			  
			   Yorkshire and the Humber 53,730 55,340 54,100 51,220 49,000 50,000 49,000 
			   Shire Counties
			 218 North Yorkshire 4,450 4,770 4,580 4,240 4,700 4,950 5,040 
			  
			   Unitary Authorities
			 214 East Riding 1,680 3,090 3,430 3,330 3,650 3,210 3,045 
			 215 Kingston-upon-Hull 3,065 3,430 3,560 4,160 4,240 3,170 3,415 
			 216 North East Lincolnshire 725 1,250 970 1,380 860 1,620 1,890 
			 217 North Lincolnshire 1,825 1,120 1,490 1,900 2,300 1,840 1,690 
			 219 York 1,360 1,370 1,940 1,920 1,780 1,820 1,765 
			  
			   Metropolitan Districts
			 204 Barnsley 2,655 4,440 3,600 4,610 3,030 3,980 4,190 
			 209 Bradford (3) 4,020 4,160 4,770 5,030 4,870 4,585 
			 210 Calderdale 3,355 3,150 2,760 980 1,820 1,850 1,920 
			 205 Doncaster 6,620 1,300 2,150 1,760 1,720 1,560 1,605 
			 211 Kirklees 3,480 4,260 3,760 3,490 3,530 3,620 3,540 
			 212 Leeds 7,645 7,760 8,370 8,390 6,900 7,170 5,650 
			 206 Rotherham 2,930 3,100 2,930 2,700 2,670 2,060 2,200 
			 207 Sheffield 10,985 9,970 8,520 4,840 4,750 5,370 5,555 
			 213 Wakefield 2,950 2,320 1,860 2,750 2,400 2,610 2,690 
			  
			   East Midlands 32,935 39,000 37,740 39,160 39,000 39,000 40,000 
			   Shire Counties
			 506 Derbyshire 4,845 6,990 6,050 6,280 6,490 6,500 6,525 
			 508 Leicestershire 3,515 3,940 4,290 4,360 4,330 4,790 4,450 
			 503 Lincolnshire 9,945 8,760 8,060 8,550 5,410 5,110 5,910 
			 504 Northamptonshire 5,150 5,770 5,000 5,320 8,370 7,480 7,155 
			 511 Nottinghamshire 5,735 6,070 5,970 6,490 6,630 6,900 7,720 
			  
			   Unitary Authorities
			 507 Derby 2,015 2,440 2,360 2,290 2,400 2,470 2,785 
			 509 Leicester 1,540 2,000 2,250 2,550 2,880 2,700 2,545 
			 512 Nottingham (3) (3) 3,560 3,120 2,540 2,600 2,685 
			 510 Rutland 180 210 220 210 220 220 280 
			  
			   West Midlands 34,320 39,690 46,610 46,560 49,000 51,000 51,000 
			   Shire Counties
			 417 Shropshire 2,775 2,900 3,420 3,500 4,180 4,420 4,205 
			 413 Staffordshire 7,040 5,860 7,000 7,060 7,170 7,200 6,485 
			 404 Warwickshire 3,375 3,730 3,740 3,750 5,430 4,990 4,840 
			 416 Worcestershire (3) 2,860 4,820 4,230 4,990 5,120 5,000 
			  
			   Unitary Authorities
			 415 Herefordshire 1,165 1,220 1,380 1,620 1,540 1,710 2,075 
			 414 Stoke-on-Trent 1,610 2,190 2,980 3,400 2,690 2,420 2,495 
			 418 Telford and Wrekin 2,835 1,980 2,170 2,570 2,390 2,410 2,850 
			  
			   Metropolitan Districts
			 406 Birmingham 6,875 5,200 7,390 8,390 7,700 8,720 8,420 
			 407 Coventry (3) (3) 3,250 2,060 2,640 2,730 2,830 
			 408 Dudley 3,485 4,060 3,030 2,900 3,110 3,350 3,365 
			 409 Sandwell (3) (3) 2,500 1,600 2,320 2,470 2,855 
			 410 Solihull 1,210 1,180 1,290 1,390 1,520 1,510 1,600 
			 411 Walsall 1,100 1,570 1,850 2,420 1,830 1,730 2,180 
			 412 Wolverhampton 2,845 1,870 1,790 1,670 1,740 1,940 2,110 
			  
			   South West 42,735 44,720 47,300 51,670 52,000 57,000 60,000 
			   Shire Counties
			 902 Cornwall 9,475 8,600 9,160 9,700 9,750 8,830 8,635 
			 912 Devon 5,390 4,920 4,750 5,400 5,540 7,310 7,975 
			 809 Dorset 2,855 3,690 3,190 4,400 3,580 4,190 3,470 
			 904 Gloucestershire 4,775 3,960 3,930 3,960 4,370 4,820 5,245 
			 906 Isles of Scilly 40 20 10 10 10 10 10 
			 905 Somerset 3,850 3,980 5,740 5,100 5,790 9,160 9,895 
			 817 Wiltshire 4,110 3,220 3,060 4,700 4,750 4,290 4,920 
			  
			   Unitary Authorities
			 908 Bath and North East Somerset (3) 1,880 1,740 1,790 1,400 1,630 1,855 
			 810 Bournemouth 2,240 1,370 1,550 1,730 1,860 1,450 1,695 
			 909 Bristol 3,945 4,730 5,160 4,790 4,330 3,470 4,230 
			 910 North Somerset 1,690 1,610 1,550 1,560 1,410 1,630 1,710 
			 913 Plymouth (3) 2,130 2,190 2,310 2,170 2,540 2,920 
			 811 Poole 810 870 950 1,460 1,550 1,710 1,880 
			 911 South Gloucestershire 1,540 1,350 1,490 1,630 2,200 2,460 2,415 
			 819 Swindon 1,125 1,330 1,450 1,810 1,890 1,950 2,065 
			 914 Torbay 880 1,080 1,370 1,340 1,240 1,380 1,320 
			  
			   Eastern 32,650 42,440 43,800 47,470 45,000 52,000 54,000 
			   Shire Counties
			 610 Bedfordshire 1,510 1,630 1,490 2,540 3,550 3,470 3,600 
			 623 Cambridgeshire 2,285 2,470 3,190 3,450 3,460 3,790 4,185 
			 620 Essex 6,280 12,550 12,500 12,240 (3) 16,230 16,240 
			 606 Hertfordshire 7,320 10,270 9,240 9,240 8,850 6,290 7,770 
			 607 Norfolk 7,475 7,890 7,710 8,070 5,840 9,540 9,265 
			 609 Suffolk 1,060 1,240 2,810 4,350 5,080 5,860 5,860 
			  
			   Unitary Authorities
			 611 Luton 1,080 1,110 1,410 1,670 1,600 1,640 1,515 
			 624 Peterborough 880 1,990 2,010 1,930 2,190 1,660 1,680 
			 621 Southend 3,735 2,180 2,380 2,690 2,690 2,910 2,345 
			 622 Thurrock 1,030 1,100 1,080 1,290 1,180 1,090 1,250 
			  
			   London 68,125 70,800 69,790 72,770 72,000 75,000 81,000 
			   Inner London
			 702 Camden 3,390 3,420 3,500 3,450 2,280 2,240 2,360 
			 703 Greenwich 1,800 1,530 2,470 1,630 1,850 1,610 1,865 
			 704 Hackney 1,060 (3) 1,390 1,710 2,240 2,900 2,985 
			 705 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,005 1,410 1,610 1,920 1,840 1,830 1,820 
			 706 Islington 1,450 1,720 1,890 1,710 1,690 1,960 2,150 
			 707 Kensington and Chelsea 1,465 1,850 2,410 3,810 4,120 2,550 2,740 
			 708 Lambeth 2,360 2,810 2,490 2,570 2,480 2,870 2,840 
			 709 Lewisham 2,145 2,130 2,480 2,420 2,370 2,370 2,205 
			 710 Southwark 2,585 2,180 2,360 3,480 3,720 3,540 3,690 
			 711 Tower Hamlets 1,810 2,550 2,460 2,350 2,260 2,860 3,005 
			 712 Wandsworth 2,160 2,310 3,110 3,320 2,310 2,570 2,975 
			 713 Westminster 2,140 2,070 2,040 1,980 1,980 2,450 2,655 
			 714 City of London 340 140 140 180 160 170 145 
			  
			   Outer London
			 716 Barking and Dagenham 1,205 1,260 1,260 1,220 1,420 1,460 1,270 
			 717 Barnet 3,070 3,630 2,510 1,440 1,770 2,500 2,660 
			 718 Bexley 3,590 3,200 3,750 3,540 2,490 2,900 3,800 
			 719 Brent 1,505 2,730 1,780 2,480 2,180 2,530 3,415 
			 720 Bromley 2,375 2,450 2,930 2,840 3,040 3,490 3,600 
			 721 Croydon 2,685 3,510 3,180 2,950 2,450 2,620 2,730 
			 722 Ealing 2,115 2,570 2,170 2,190 2,450 3,050 3,065 
			 723 Enfield 1,220 1,590 1,940 2,060 2,220 2,510 3,045 
			 724 Haringey 2,920 2,250 2,280 2,320 2,240 2,730 2,795 
			 725 Harrow 3,310 2,340 2,510 2,480 2,600 1,690 2,615 
			 726 Havering 1,785 1,920 2,000 2,240 1,850 1,880 2,095 
			 727 Hillingdon 2,875 1,920 1,570 1,730 1,860 1,740 1,880 
			 728 Hounslow 1,420 2,080 1,770 2,230 2,740 2,540 2,375 
			 729 Kingston-upon-Thames 3,975 3,630 1,940 1,640 1,680 1,750 1,520 
			 730 Merton 1,675 1,440 1,170 1,370 1,550 1,910 2,050 
			 731 Newham 1,260 2,360 2,110 2,130 2,450 2,620 3,295 
			 732 Redbridge 1,870 2,220 2,510 2,620 2,630 2,400 2,635 
			 733 Richmond upon Thames 1,110 1,120 1,170 1,320 1,290 1,330 1,620 
			 734 Sutton 1,220 1,230 1,440 1,260 1,470 1,530 1,610 
			 735 Waltham Forest 2,240 1,580 1,460 2,200 2,080 2,210 1,595 
			  
			   South East 41,945 61,950 70,940 73,150 85,000 90,000 98,000 
			   Shire Counties
			 612 Buckinghamshire 1,630 2,100 2,600 2,800 2,570 2,790 3,035 
			 815 East Sussex 3,405 2,570 3,750 4,170 3,920 3,820 4,180 
			 812 Hampshire 8,715 17,120 15,670 18,870 28,390 27,830 30,105 
			 820 Kent 7,835 8,900 11,860 12,340 12,400 13,530 14,885 
			 608 Oxfordshire (3) (3) (3) 3,570 4,000 4,880 5,045 
			 805 Surrey (3) (3) 11,050 5,040 9,420 9,910 8,770 
			 807 West Sussex 2,510 2,800 2,840 5,510 4,330 5,710 9,405 
			  
			   Unitary Authorities
			 614 Bracknell Forest 660 830 670 660 870 1,160 1,230 
			 816 Brighton and Hove 2,170 2,980 2,630 3,200 2,740 2,890 2,710 
			 803 Isle of Wight 3,910 3,080 3,690 2,740 1,700 1,750 2,305 
			 821 Medway Towns 1,605 1,650 1,380 1,620 1,990 2,740 2,615 
			 613 Milton Keynes 85 1,090 1,310 1,730 1,580 1,880 2,555 
			 813 Portsmouth 2,665 2,980 2,730 2,500 2,310 1,630 1,825 
			 616 Reading 1,210 1,150 1,370 1,660 1,460 1,600 1,625 
			 617 Slough 850 940 1,060 1,130 1,100 1,260 1,410 
			 814 Southampton 2,245 3,150 2,880 2,560 2,650 2,830 2,950 
			 615 West Berkshire 785 800 910 970 1,200 1,400 1,390 
			 618 Windsor and Maidenhead 825 910 950 1,200 1,380 1,330 980 
			 619 Wokingham 850 720 820 880 890 1,080 1,015 
			 (1) Data includes clients formerly in receipt of preserved rights. (2) Guidance was restated in 2004-05. Figures from previous years are not comparable. (3) Missing data.  Notes: 1. The England and regional totals are estimates based on the figures from 150 P1 proformas. 2. Figures may not add up because of rounding. 3. Regional and national totals may not be equal to the sum of the council level figures due to the use of estimates when the council did not fully complete the return. 4. All figures presented are rounded to the nearest 10, 100 or 1,000. The precise rounding rules are:  For national and regional totals: Data: Rounding rule Over 10,000: Rounding to nearest 1,000 Between 100 and 10,000: Rounded to nearest 100 Under 50: Rounded to nearest 10. 5. There are some issues to be aware of when comparing the data over time: Since 2002-03, clients who were formally in receipt of higher rates of income support under the Department for Work and Pensions preserved rights scheme and who transferred to council support on 8 April 2002 have been included in the referrals, assessments and packages of care return. Clients that were in receipt of preserved rights but who were already being partially supported by councils were previously included in the data and are not considered as clients formerly in receipt of preserved rights. This mainly effects clients in residential care. Guidance relating to clients receiving services was restated for 2004-05 to only include clients who are assessed by social services and have a care plan. In previous years, some councils included clients receiving services from grant-funded organisations without a community care assessment and therefore the 2004-05 data is not comparable to previous years. Additional clarification was also given on the recording of some types of services. These amendments mainly affect clients receiving communitybased services.  Source: RAP proforma P1.

Surgery: Waiting Lists

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were performed within  (a) one,  (b) two, (c) three,  (d) four,  (e) five,  (f) six,  (g) seven,  (h) eight,  (i) nine,  (j) 10,  (k) 11 and  (l) 12 or more weeks of referral from a general practitioner, or specialist practitioner, in each quarter of each of the last five years, broken down by acute hospital trust; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Referral-to-treatment data have been collected since January 2007. The information requested has been placed in the Library. These data show the number and percentage of admitted patients treated in each month up to and including January 2008, along with the quarterly totals. The figures include patients referred by general practitioners, specialist practitioners and other sources of referral.
	By December 2008, patients who want it, and for whom it is clinically appropriate, can expect to start their treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral. Published data show that at a national level, performance for admitted patients increased from 49 per cent. in January 2007 to 69 per cent. in January 2008.

Working Conditions

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government has taken to help employers provide healthy working environments.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 1 May 2008
	 The Government have done a good deal to help employers provide healthy working environments in recent years: the publication of the White Paper Choosing Healthmaking healthy choices easier (2004) the cross-Government strategy Health, work and well-beingCaring for our future (2005), and, finally, the more recently published review of the health of the working age population, Working for a healthier tomorrow (March 2008) by Professor Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work. In addition the Government have sponsored a number of workplace health awards for both public and private sectors, including the prestigious Business in the Community Health at Work awards.
	As the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions set out in a written ministerial statement on 17 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 50-52WS, the Government will consider Dame Carol's findings carefully and, over the coming months, will develop detailed proposals to make a real difference to all working environments. Success in this agenda will benefit individuals, families, communities, businesses and the economy as a whole.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Adoption: Standards

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities had performance targets in their local public service agreements or local area agreements on  (a) adoption and  (b) stability of adoption placements, where such performance was incentivised with reward grants; and what the target was in each case.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 29 October 2007,  Official Report, column 670W to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (John Hemming).

Bus Services: Subsidies

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what level of local authority grant has been made to enable the subsidy of uneconomic bus routes for  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09 in (i) Plymouth and (ii) Devon.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	Plymouth city council and Devon county council have received Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG) and funding from the Department for Transport's Urban and Rural Bus Challenge and Kickstart schemes. These grants have provided financial support towards new and existing bus services including those which may have previously been uneconomic. The following table shows the amounts that the two authorities received in 2007-08 under these grant schemes; projected figures for 2008-09 are also shown:
	
		
			  Authority  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Plymouth city council 133,848 (1)16,760 
			 Devon county council 2,531,770 2,557,972 
			 (1) The reduction as compared with the Plymouth figure for the previous year reflects the completion of funding in 2007-08 for the authority's project under the Urban Bus Challenge scheme. 
		
	
	Local authorities may also use funding from the Government's unhypothecated Revenue Support Grant to support local bus services.
	Bus companies operating throughout Devon also receive Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) from the Department. This is a payment equivalent to about 80 per cent. of the fuel duty that operators incur in providing local bus services. However, as BSOG is paid directly to operators, statistics are not kept for payments by local authority or geographical area.

Caravan Sites: Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether Traveller caravans are liable for council tax where the pitch is not charged business rates.

John Healey: A pitch for a caravan which is a person's sole or main residence will be liable for council tax.

Connect Public Affairs

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what payments her Department has made to Connect Public Affairs since her Department was created; on what dates; and for what purpose in each case;
	(2)  what payments the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Neighbourhood Renewal Unit made to Connect Public Affairs; on what dates; and for what purpose in each case.

Parmjit Dhanda: The following payments have been made to Connect Public Affairs since the Department (as the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) was formed in 2002. These include payments made by the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit. Connect Public Affairs provided a range of conferences and events covering the delivery of neighbourhood renewal programmes, policies, and related themes including, in March 2008, a national conference on the future development of regeneration policy and community empowerment.
	
		
			  Date paid  Total amount 
			 14 March 2003 11,750.00 
			 1 June 2006 95,054.89 
			 25 July 2006 10,791.07 
			 22 August 2006 12,922.65 
			 31 October 2006 12,922.65 
			 9 November 2006 107,771.72 
			 20 November 2006 12,922.65 
			 21 December 2006 12,922.65 
			 16 February 2007 12,922.65 
			 22 March 2007 29,367.52 
			 27 March 2007 22,630.81 
			 10 May 2007 12,922.65 
			 21 August 2007 6,271.56 
			 12 September 2007 12,922.65 
			 2 October 2007 6,271.56 
			 14 November 2007 6,271.56 
			 31 December 2007 28,135.38 
			 4 February 2008 6,271.56

Construction Methods: Fire Prevention

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on the fire resistance standards to be applied to materials used in the construction of public and community buildings;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to inform local authorities about the fire performance of certain composite panels;
	(3)  whether she plans to revise, loss prevention standard 1181, relating to the fire performance of composite panels used in the construction of schools and other community buildings;
	(4)  if she will meet the Loss Prevention Certificate Board to discuss the fire performance of composite panels.

Iain Wright: The Building Regulations 2000 (as amended) apply to building work in England and Wales, typically the erection, extension or material alteration of a building, including public and community buildings. For the purposes of securing reasonable standards of health and safety for persons in and around buildings, part B of the regulations sets out requirements for fire safety.
	In support of these requirements, the Department issues technical guidance, known as Approved Document B, which sets out appropriate levels of fire performance and fire resistance for materials, products and structures, including composite panels, when tested to relevant British or European standards. The necessary level of performance that should be obtained will depend upon the type of building, the nature of the construction product and where it is located.
	Specific guidance on meeting the fire safety requirements of the building regulations in the design and construction of schools is given in Building Bulletin 100, published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Information on hospitals in Health Technical Memorandum 02-05, published by the Department of Health.
	In existing buildings, fire safety risk assessment undertaken under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 should take account of the type of construction used in any building. The Department has issued technical fire safety risk assessment guidance which includes reference to composite panels.
	LPS 1181 is a loss prevention standard produced by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) and used primarily by the insurance industry. This standard provides a method for assessing the fire performance of cladding systems with respect to potential economic loss in the event of a fire. Current statutory provisions and supporting standards for fire protection in buildings are made only for the purposes of securing the health and safety of people in and around buildings, not to reduce economic loss. As such the Department does not utilise LPS 1181 within its guidance on fire safety.
	Officials within the Department do, from time to time, communicate with the LPCB on a wide range of issues. However, as LPS 1181 is not utilised in our guidance, it is not of direct relevance to the Department's work.

Construction: Sustainable Development

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she has taken to improve sustainability within local government procurement with regard to construction.

John Healey: Subject to their legal duties, including the duty of best value and public procurement law, local authorities are responsible for taking their own procurement decisions. There is a range of good practice guidance to which they can have regard to. For example, the Local Government Task Force, which is sponsored by the Department, recently published three guides on sustainable construction, which include specific advice for leaders, construction professionals and procurement managers.

Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was raised in council tax for each precepting authority in 2006-07 in England.

John Healey: Details of the level of council tax precepting authorities in England expected to raise 2006-07 were published in table 8 of the statistical release Levels of council tax set by local authorities in England 2006-07.
	This release is available on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/ctax/ctax067.htm

Council Tax: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 613W, on Council Tax: Valuation, for what reasons the sections on  (a) future council tax revaluations,  (b) the hon. Member for Meriden and  (c) consequentials were redacted from the minutes placed in the Library.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 613W. The reasons are stated in the redacted minutes.

Council Tax: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government  
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 613W, and 2 April 2008,  Official Report, columns 924-5W, on Council Tax: Valuation, if she will place in the Library the initial analysis of the number of consequentials that informed the discussions at the Council Tax Revaluation Programme Board (England);
	(2)  how many consequentials that were identified were subsequently corrected as part of the Valuation Office Agency's normal duty; and how many households had their records amended.

John Healey: No analysis has been undertaken.

Council Tax: Waste Management

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether joint waste authorities will levy a separate precept on council tax.

John Healey: Joint waste authorities will not have precepting powers, and will need to agree funding structures with their constituent authorities.

Departmental Manpower

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) permanent Civil Service posts,  (b) permanent non-Civil Service posts and  (c) temporary or agency workers in employment there were in her Department in each month since May 2005.

Parmjit Dhanda: Our workforce statistics are compiled quarterly and published by the Office for National Statistics. They are based on numbers of employees rather than posts, and do not reflect vacancy information.
	The latest available figures are for 31 December 2007 and show that there were 5,280 permanent civil servants and 70 temporary employees in the Department for Communities and Local Government. The figures are on the full-time equivalent basis and are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Historical records are available from the recently launched UK Statistics Authority website:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ReleaseCalendar/fundreleases.asp?releasetitle=Public+Sector+Employmentreleaseorganisation=42releasetheme=daterange=3sday=18smonth=03syear=2008ShowHits=10SortOrder=0ShowYear=2008.
	These figures will exclude temporary agency workers who are not employed directly by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	Non-civil service permanent posts include special advisers. The Prime Minister gave details of special advisers to the House on 22 November 2007,  Official Report, column 147WS.

Eco-Towns

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which of the shortlisted eco-town proposals involve development on  (a) green belt and  (b) greenfield land.

Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him today.

Eco-Towns: Motor Vehicles

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to promote the restriction of car  (a) ownership and  (b) parking spaces in eco-town developments.

Caroline Flint: We have set out in the consultation document Eco-townsliving a greener future what needs to be achieved in terms of sustainable transport and this includes a significant reduction in car reliance. This would mean, for example, locating major facilities and services within a 10-minute walk of homes within the eco-town and provision of frequent and reliable public transport. Through these measures and those set out in the consultation document, we would expect there to be less of a need for car parking spaces, but each location will need its own approach.

Eco-Towns: Planning Permission

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which bids to become eco-towns included plans for development on  (a) green belt and  (b) greenfield land.

Caroline Flint: On the basis of an evaluation of the shortlisted bids, I can confirm that no new homes will be built on green belt land. In terms of greenfield land, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 April 2008,  Official Report, column 2303W to the hon. Member for Cotswold (Mr. Clifton-Brown).

Eco-Towns: Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Infrastructure Planning Commission will consider planning applications for eco-towns or their associated infrastructure.

Caroline Flint: Under the proposals in the Planning Bill, the Infrastructure Planning Commission will consider nationally significant infrastructure projects, such as proposals for major new power stations. Planning applications for eco-towns will be submitted to the appropriate local authority.

Electronic Government

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether mechanisms are in place to monitor the extent to which her Department's  (a) internal and  (b) external (i) correspondence and (ii) distribution of publications are carried out electronically.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department is able to monitor the number of downloads from its website and intranet, and the volume of external e-mail correspondence. We have not set up the capacity to monitor the level of internal e-mail correspondence.

Electronic Government

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her responsibilities in respect of the e-Government regional partnerships are.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Local e-Government Programme concluded at the end of March 2006, having delivered against the Prime Minister's pledge that 100 per cent. of services would be electronically enabled by December 2005. The e-Government regional partnership network has now become self-sustaining, with member authorities taking responsibility for the individual partnerships' forward work programme within the devolved arrangements for regional improvement and efficiency.

Floods: EU Grants and Loans

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much of the 110 million received from the EU for emergency flood relief will be put at the disposal of  (a) central Government,  (b) local government and  (c) Gloucestershire county council.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to my parliamentary statement of 6 May 2008,  Official Report, column 18WS.

Floods: Planning Permission

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many times the Planning Inspectorate overruled decisions to refuse planning permission for new developments proposed to be built in flood risk areas when the Environment Agency and the relevant local authority have advised against such a development in the last two years.

Iain Wright: The Planning Inspectorate does not capture data to enable it to identify appeals that relate to development within flood risk areas. If a planning application for development in a flood risk area were to be referred to the Planning Inspectorate on appeal, it would be decided in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicated otherwise. All representations made would be taken into account, as well as Government policy set out in Planning Policy Statement 25, Development and Flood Risk. Each case would be determined on its merits.

Gardens: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the presence of a roof garden is taken into account by the Valuation Office Agency during a council tax valuation.

John Healey: When undertaking a valuation to arrive at, or amend, a council tax banding, all material factors that affect the open market value of a dwelling will be taken into account, as required by the Council Tax (Situation and Valuation of Dwellings) Regulations 1992.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her policy is on voluntary home condition reports; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Government remain convinced of the benefits of the Home Condition Report (HCR) and encourages sellers to include one in their pack. The Department continues to work with industry to promote and find solutions to increase the uptake of the HCR on a market-led basis.

Homelessness

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homeless households, where the household type was a  (a) couple with dependent children and  (b) lone- parent household with dependent children, were in temporary accommodation in England in each year since 1997.

Iain Wright: Information about local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation is collected quarterly at local authority level on the PIE statistical return. This information includes the number of households accepted by local authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty. The duty owed to an accepted household is to secure suitable accommodation. If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority may secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available.
	Data on the number of households in temporary accommodation are provided in our quarterly statistical release on statutory homelessness, published on our website and placed in the House Library. The latest release was published on 10 March 2008.
	Data on household type was first collected on the main PIE form from June 2006. Figures showing a breakdown by household type, including  (a) couples with dependent children and  (b) lone parent households with dependent children, are available for each quarter from June 2006 onwards and are provided in Table 10c, available on the website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/714966.xls
	A summary of data from the table is provided as follows. It shows the number of households in temporary accommodation, by household type, as at the last day of December in 2006 and 2007.
	
		
			  Number of households in temporary accommodation, by household type, as at 31 December 
			   Total in temporary accommodation( 1)  Couple with dependent children( 2)  Lone parent household with dependent children 
			 Percentage of total   Percentage of total 
			 2006(3) 89,510 23,130 26 42,310 47 
			 2007(3) 79,500 20,450 26 37,860 48 
			 (1) This should be a snapshot of the numbers in accommodation on the last day of the quarter, not the numbers taking up accommodation. (2) Includes expectant mothers with no other dependent children. (3) Provisional data.  Note: Totals may not equal the sum of components because of rounding.  Source: CLG PIE Homelessness returns (quarterly)

Homes and Communities Agency: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what she estimates the running costs of the Homes and Communities Agency will be in its first year of operation.

Caroline Flint: The Homes and Communities Agency's running costs will be brought together from a range of components, including the current running costs of English Partnerships, a percentage of the current running costs of the Housing Corporation that relate to those functions transferring to the HCA, the current running costs of the Academy for Sustainable Communities and costs associated with the delivery of a number of programmes currently delivered by my Department. Work to disaggregate the costs involved is under way.

Housing: Bournemouth

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the proposal to build 1,500 new homes next to the River Stour in North Bournemouth.

Iain Wright: holding answer 28 April 2008
	There have been no discussions between the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at ministerial level. However, discussions have taken place between officials of the two Departments as part of the consideration of the Secretary of State's proposed changes to the regional spatial strategy for the south west.

Housing: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of housing allocations made by housing associations in the Chelmsford local authority area were made to people who had no previous direct or indirect links to the borough in each of the last three years.

Iain Wright: holding answer 1 May 2008
	The information is not available in the form requested.

Housing: Conservation Areas

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many domestic dwellings there are in conservation areas according to Valuation Office Agency property attribute records.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1410W in respect of the Value Significant Code OS.

Housing: Construction

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new houses were built in the Easington constituency in each of the last five years.

Iain Wright: Information on house building rates is not held on a parliamentary constituency basis, but for the Easington district as a whole the numbers of houses built (gross) over the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			   Units 
			 2002-03 124 
			 2003-04 382 
			 2004-05 406 
			 2005-06 402 
			 2006-07 659 
			 Total 1,973

Housing: Low Incomes

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers are available to local authorities to apply conditions to ensure that homes granted planning consent as affordable are retained within the affordable sector in perpetuity; and if she will take steps to ensure that local authorities use the powers available.

Iain Wright: holding answer 1 May 2008
	There are a number of methods by which homes that are sold can be retained in the social housing sector.
	Local authorities which sell under the Right to Buy scheme properties located in
	National Parks;
	Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; and
	40 areas designated by the Secretary of State as 'rural' for RTB purposes,
	may impose covenants restricting the resale of these properties to people who have lived or worked locally for at least three years. 'Locally' means within a 'region' designated by the Secretary of State for this purpose. Alternatively, they may require that if the owners wish to resell such properties, they must first offer them back to the local authority.
	In order to retain social rented properties in areas where replacement is difficult, the Right to Acquire scheme, under which housing association tenants may buy their rented homes at a discount, does not apply in small rural settlements.
	In addition, providers have a right of first refusal to buy back properties sold under the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire schemes if they are resold within 10 years if it is essential to retain the homes for social rent.
	Measures in the Housing and Regeneration Bill, which completed its second reading in the House of Lords on 28 April, will enable landlords of shared ownership houses to restrict the equity share that shared owners can buy in areas where replacement is difficult, thereby retaining the property within the affordable housing sector for future purchasers where it is essential to do so.

Housing: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the Valuation Office Agency's policy is on whether the addition of an extension to a property will normally be assumed to entail an increase in the banding of the property when it is sold.

John Healey: This is not a matter of policy. Whether an extension results in a banding increase when the property is sold is a matter of fact and valuation.

Ipsos MORI: Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the full original dataset of polling information compiled by Ipsos MORI as part of its research study of the home information pack area trials.

Caroline Flint: No. The data include personal information which could not be checked and where appropriate removed except at disproportionate cost.

Local Authorities: Public Participation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research her Department has conducted on the mechanisms and processes by which local authorities respond to petitions from local residents.

Parmjit Dhanda: As part of the consultation on Local Petitions and Calls for Action, which closed on 20 March 2008, the Department commissioned a series of focus groups with the public on petitions, and received 149 consultation responses from local authorities, some of which detailed their processes for responding to petitions.

Local Authorities: Satisfaction

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average satisfaction rate with local councils according to  (a) Audit Commission assessments and  (b) performance against best value performance indicators was in each year since 1997.

John Healey: Satisfaction with local authorities has been measured through the best value user satisfaction survey, which was undertaken by local authorities every three years from 2000-01 to 2006-07. The data from these surveys were collated and analysed by an external IT contractor on behalf of the Audit Commission and the Department. The latest general report is published on the DCLG website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/324639
	Latest data for individual authorities can be found on the Audit Commission website at
	http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/Performance/Downloads/2006_07UserSurveyBVPIswithDistricts.xls.
	The satisfaction survey collects information on 13 attitudinal best value performance indicators. Overall satisfaction with each local authority is measured by best value performance indicator 3, and the averages for local authorities in England are as follows.
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 2000-01 65 
			 2003-04 55 
			 2006-07 54 
		
	
	The Audit Commission assesses councils' performance through comprehensive performance assessment. It does not make separate assessments of customer service satisfaction with councils. In determining the overall CPA performance ratings and direction of travel statements of councils, the Audit Commission will take into consideration the results in the best value user satisfaction surveys, as well as other non-attitudinal evidence on performance.
	Since the CPA (the performance management framework for councils in England) was introduced in 2002 councils throughout England have continued to significantly improve their overall performance, as the following table illustrates.
	
		
			   CPA 2002 results  CPA 2003 results  CP A 2004  results  cpa 2005  results  CPA 2006 results  CPA 2007 results 
			 Number of single tier and county councils achieving excellent/good CPA rating(1) 76 82 101 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Percentage 51 55 67
			
			 Number of single tier and county councils achieving 3 or 4 star rating(1) n/a n/a n/a 102 119 123 
			 Percentage68 80 83 
			 (1) The Audit Commission introduced a new framework for CPA in single tier and county councils from 2005-08, CPA'The Harder Test'. This framework is a harder and different test to the framework used from 2002-04 and CPA categories were renamed from 2005 onwards to reflect this change.

Local Authorities: Translation Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding is provided by the Government for local authorities to provide translation and interpretation services, broken down by  (a) local authority and  (b) language.

John Healey: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Local Government Ombudsman: Manpower

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of employees of the Local Government Ombudsman have formerly worked in local government.

John Healey: Some 55 per cent. of the employees working for the Local Government Ombudsman previously worked in local government.

London Connects: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what central funding London Connects  (a) has received and  (b) is due to receive for the Valuebill project.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 17 April 2007,  Official Report, column 525W.

Non-Domestic Rates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the business rates multiplier is for  (a) businesses eligible for the small business rate and  (b) other businesses in 2008-09.

John Healey: The multiplier for properties eligible for small business rate relief in 2008-09 is 0.458, while the multiplier for other properties that are not liable for this relief is 0.462.

Non-Domestic Rates: Tax Allowances

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the value of small business rate relief was in each year since it was introduced.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 29 April 2008,  Official Report, column 319W to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Alan Duncan).

Pensions

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the current rate of employer contribution is to each public sector pension scheme for which her Department has responsibility.

John Healey: The current average employer contribution rate for the local government pension scheme, based on available information, is some 15.7 per cent. of payroll.
	The equivalent rate for the firefighters pension scheme 1992 is 21.3 per cent. of payroll and 11 per cent. for the new fire fighters pension scheme 2006.

Planning Permission: Appeals

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations have been made by respondents to the Housing Green Paper in relation to planning appeals made by developers on the grounds that insufficient land for development has been identified by a local authority.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing on 29 February 2008,  Official Report, column 89WS.

Planning: Canvey Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received on the East of England Development Agency's involvement in the bottling plant proposal for the Northwick Road/Canvey jetty area of Canvey Island; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: No representations have been received on the East of England Development Agency's involvement in the bottling plant proposal for the Northwick Road Canvey jetty area of Canvey Island.

Planning: Castle Point

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will call in a planning approval granted by councillors at the corner of Oak Road and London Road in Hadleigh to assess its compatibility with the Castle Point local development framework.

Iain Wright: The primary responsibility for development control within an area rests with the local planning authority. It is for the authority to decide in the first instance, with particular regard to the provisions of the statutory Development Plan and any other material considerations, whether a particular development should take place. The Secretary of State rarely intervenes in the consideration of individual planning applications and then only when planning issues of national or regional significance are involved. To do so more often would be to undermine the responsibility of local authorities for planning in their area.
	Government policy in Planning Policy Statements 1 and 12 states that planning decisions should be taken in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Officers at the Government Office for the East of England (GO East) studied the Council's Planning Committee Report for this proposal and were satisfied that the decision to grant planning permission would be made in accordance with local plan policy and, in view of the fact that the planning issues raised were of no more than local significance, it was considered that the Secretary of State's intervention was not be appropriate.
	Now that planning permission has been granted, there is no set procedure by which the Secretary of State can intervene. She does have certain powers which could be invoked if a development of land use was judged to be so grossly wrong as to do serious damage to the wider public interest. In this instance, and for the reasons given above, such action would not be justified. It is now for Castle Point borough council to monitor the development to ensure that it is carried out in accordance with the terms of the planning permission.

Planning: Floods

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities were directed to rescind planning consents owing to flood risk in each of the last five years; when each direction was issued; and in respect of which location.

Iain Wright: Section 100 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides a mechanism for the Secretary of State to initiate proceedings for the revocation or modification of planning permission.
	According to our records, no local authorities have been directed by the Secretary of State to rescind planning permissions owing to flood threats over the last five years.

Planning: Travelling People

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1902W, on Planning: Travelling People, what funding has been provided to assist local residents in challenging illegal or unauthorised developments by travellers.

Iain Wright: The Government fund Planning Aid gives free, independent advice to individuals and community groups, including tenant and resident groups, on the full range of planning issues. The Government provided grant funding for Planning Aid of 1.7 million in 2007-08, which is rising to 3.2 million in 2008-09.
	The Government have also published a guide to the effective use of enforcement powers against the unauthorised development of caravan sites. This informs interested members of the public how the planning enforcement system can prevent the stationing of caravans on land in contravention of planning control.

Unitary Councils

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers she has to impose a new unitary arrangement upon a two-tier area; what trial has to be observed; and what period of consultation she expects to be undertaken.

John Healey: Our powers to create new unitary structures for an area are limited to implementing, with or without modification, proposals made by one or more councils for the whole or part of an area, or alternative proposals made by the Boundary Committee following a request to the Committee for advice on the councils' proposals.
	Before implementing a proposal the Secretary of State must consult every authority affected by it (except the council or councils which made it) and such other persons as she considers appropriate, unless the proposal is made jointly by every council affected by it; and before making an alternative proposal the Boundary Committee must consult persons who may be interested.
	We would expect any consultation by the Secretary of State or by the Boundary Committee to last at least the normal 12-week period for public consultations, unless the particular circumstances warrant a different period.

Unpaid Taxes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much and what proportion of  (a) council tax and  (b) business rates was uncollected in each billing authority in the last year for which figures are available.

John Healey: A table giving details of the amount and the proportion of  (a) council tax and  (b) non-domestic rates that was uncollected by each billing authority in 2006-07 has been deposited in the Library of the House.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2008,  Official Report, column 121W, on the Valuation Office, if she will place in the Library a copy of the current version of the Valuation Office Agency's form Dwelling Survey V09072.

John Healey: A copy of the current version of this form is available in the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Referencing Manual, and I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 18 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1279W.

Valuation Office: ICT

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1033W, on Property: Databases, which local authorities submit billing authority reports to the Valuation Office Agency via the Valuebill electronic interface.

John Healey: The following local authorities submitted electronic billing authority reports (eBARs) to the Valuation Office Agency between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2007:
	Amber Valley
	Arun
	Barnsley
	Barrow-In-Furness
	Basildon
	Berwick Upon Tweed
	Bexley
	Birmingham
	Blackburn With Darwen
	Borough of Poole
	Bournemouth
	Braintree
	Breckland
	Brent
	Brentwood
	Bristol City
	Broadland
	Bromley
	Bromsgrove
	Burnley
	Caerphilly
	Caradon
	Carmarthenshire
	Carrick
	Castle Morpeth
	Castle Point
	Ceredigion
	Chelmsford
	Chester Le Street
	City And County Of Kingston-Upon-Hull
	Colchester
	Congleton
	Copeland
	Coventry
	Crewe and Nantwich
	Denbighshire
	Derwentside
	Doncaster
	Dudley
	Easington
	East Cambridgeshire
	East Dorset
	East Hampshire
	East Riding Of Yorkshire
	East Staffordshire
	Eastbourne
	Eastleigh
	Eden
	Ellesmere Port and Neston
	Epping Forest
	Epsom and Ewell
	Fareham
	Forest Heath
	Gosport
	Great Yarmouth
	Greenwich
	Gwynedd
	Hackney
	Haringey
	Harlow
	Hart
	Hartlepool
	Hastings
	Havant
	Havering
	Hertsmere
	Hyndburn
	Isle of Wight
	Kennet
	Kensington and Chelsea
	Kettering
	Kings Lynn and West Norfolk
	Kingston Upon Thames
	Lambeth
	Leeds
	Lichfield
	Macclesfield
	Maldon
	Manchester
	Medway
	Mendip
	Merthyr Tydfil
	Merton
	Middlesbrough
	Neath And Port Talbot
	New Forest
	Newham
	Newport
	North East Lincolnshire
	North Shropshire
	North Tyneside
	North Warwickshire
	Norwich
	Nuneaton and Bedworth
	Oswestry
	Pembrokeshire
	Plymouth
	Portsmouth City
	Powys
	Preston
	Redcar And Cleveland
	Ribble Valley
	Richmond Upon Thames
	Rochford
	Rossendale
	Rotherham
	Rugby
	Rushcliffe
	Rushmoor
	Rutland
	Salisbury
	Sandwell
	Sedgefield
	Sevenoaks
	Sheffield
	Shrewsbury and Atcham
	Solihull
	South Bedfordshire
	South Gloucestershire
	South Norfolk
	South Kibble
	South Somerset
	South Tyneside
	Southwark
	Stevenage
	Stoke On Trent
	Stratford On Avon
	Suffolk Coastal
	Sunderland
	Sutton
	Swansea
	Tamworth
	Taunton Deane
	Teesdale
	Teignbridge
	Telford And Wrekin
	Test Valley
	Thanet
	Thurrock
	Tonbridge and Malling
	Torbay
	Torfaen
	Tower Hamlets
	Tunbridge Wells
	Wakefield
	Waltham Forest
	Wandsworth
	Wansbeck
	Warwick
	Waveney
	Waverley
	Wear Valley
	Welwyn Hatfield
	West Devon
	West Lindsey
	Westminster City
	Wirral
	Wolverhampton
	Worcester
	Worthing
	Wrexham

Valuation Office: ICT

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether local billing authorities are required to adopt the Valuebill interface; and what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on its adoption.

John Healey: Valuebill is a voluntary initiative aimed at improving the electronic exchange of property information between local authorities and the Valuation Office Agency. It is up to local authorities to decide whether to adopt the Valuebill interface. Valuebill is mentioned in the ODPM 2005 publication Delivering Efficiency in Local Services: Further Guidance for Local Authorities as an initiative to assist local authorities in increasing efficiency.

Waste Disposal Standards

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities had performance targets in their local public service agreements or local area agreements on household waste collection, where such performance was incentivised with reward grants; and what the target was in each case.

John Healey: Reward targets appear in local public service agreements and local area agreements.
	All texts of LPSAs and LAAs are in the public domain via either the Communities and Local Government website or the IdEA website (LAA) or directly from individual authorities.

Zennor Consulting Ltd

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments her Department has made to Zennor Consulting Ltd in the last 12 months; and on what dates and for what purpose in each case.

Parmjit Dhanda: Only one payment has been made to Zennor Consulting in the last 12 months. On 24 April this year the Department paid 7,500 including VAT in respect of financial services to ensure eligibility for European Regional Development Funding (ERDF).